I don't play well with others

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:

What supporting character from a YA book would you most like to see star in their own novel?

I am one of those readers who tends to buy into the story through the main character. I'm pretty loyal. For example, following on from last weeks post I love the book Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and the rest of the series so I was thrilled when the series starring Bean (a support character) came out. BUT reading them I felt kinda guilty. These stories painted Ender in a different light, not bad really, just different. And I didn't like it. As the series moved from Ender I liked them more but couldn't fall for them the same way I did Ender's stories.

So I didn't have a million ideas for any supporting characters to get there own stories.

However, I do have a real soft spot for Hermione.

I would love to read about her going on after Harry's story finishes. But i think it would always feel like Harry's world to me.

What about you, any supporting characters you'd like to get their own starring role?

Sept-Ender

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.



This Week's Topic:
What was the best book you read in September?

September wasn't a great month for new reading. Coughs and tummy bugs were rampant in our house. Sigh.  Stress and illness lead to comfort reading. A few of my old faves were devoured. You know those great books you can pick up anywhere if a kid or dog loses your place and read on because you know it so well? I first read my best September book when I was about ten I think. And have re-read many times. It's a joke with hubby cos the night we met we got chatting and I accidentally told him the ending. But then I figured it didn't matter cos I'd never see him again anyway. He still teases me about how I ruined the book for him. Enough rambling... (Really, is there ever enough? *grin*) The best book i read in September was  Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.   I love it because it's a comfort read. I love it because it makes me cry. Most of all I love it because in Ender I have one of the characters who I have as a reader supported most strongly. I wanted Ender to succeed completely.  What about you? What was your best September book? Do you turn to a comfort read when life gets messy?

Play it again Sam...

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.



This Week's Topic:


What themes, settings, motifs, scenes, or other elements do you find recurring in your work?

Just the other day I was re-reading one of my first stories and discovered the lead up to a big turning point for the heroine (an emotional day followed by a dance of all things) was almost the same as in a new story. And they were completely different heroines and genres. Sigh. Lucky the first hasn't a hope of appearing from beneath the bed any time soon.

I also tend to have strong mothers for my heroines. Usually good (after my own who passed away ten years ago) and if they're not.... then they're really, really bad which is me in an effort not to write about my awesome mum.

My characters are often not real... um... graceful or coordinated. They say write what you know I guess.

I'm drawn to outcasts, people who don't quite fit in. Maybe cos those people aren't so trapped in 'the system' that they can see where it's not working/not fair.

What about you? You writing the same thing over and over?

When you were young...

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.




This Week's Topic:
What non-YA character would you love to see star in a YA book as themselves?
Thinking about this made me realize that most of my very fave characters are either teens or spend some of the story as a teen. Eventually one sprung (ie crept painfully slowly) to mind.

He's ageless in an ageless book. He has immense power and wisdom and an aura of authority. seeing him as a teen, perhaps uncertain, perhaps going through the struggles that would make him so awe inspiring when we meet him would be so interesting.

I'm talking about Lord of The Rings and I'm talking about Gandalf.

Imagine a YA book about Gandalf? I'd read it!

While I'm on LOTR i think Aragorn could be rather interesting too.

What about you?

It's haunted me

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:

What was the best book you read in August?

The best book I read this month isn’t a YA but it’s rather brilliant.

It’s ‘End of the Night Girl’ by Amy T. Matthews.

Amy belongs to a writers group I attend. Here’s what the publisher Wakefield press says on its site:

Molly, a sassy Australian waitress, is haunted by the ghost of a murdered Polish Jew. The two young women's stories, each a compelling page-turner, combine teasingly in one as End of the Night Girl explores shadows cast by the Holocaust across decades, continents and cultures.

Wow, huh?

It sounds intense and I found it so, and amazing and emotional and thought provoking. It’s so wonderfully and skillfully told and it’s haunted me since.

I was lucky enough to attend the book launch (pic below) and am thrilled Amy has a real success story here in her first book.

What have you read that’s made you think this month?

Can I get a cream for that?

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:

How do you beat writer's block?

This is something I struggle with at times. It shows up as mega-procrastination... like way more than usual. I have to check other blogs, facebook, twitter, then all again. Get a drink. And then decide I probably don't have time to make enough progress to make starting to write worthwhile...

But it means I'm stuck.

The only cure is time. And making myself show up at the computer.

I give myself a little break. Do some of that houseworky kind of stuff i usually avoid. This lets me think about why I'm stuck. But without staring at the screen thinking about why I'm stuck. Usually this does the trick. if not i re-read, waiting for the bit that makes me feel a bit queasy... like i'm off track. Often I need to go back. Sometimes the problem is that I'm trying to push the characters in the wrong direction.

Sometimes my brain is fried and some exercise or kid time is all i need.

What about you??

Not thinking, thinking.

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:

What is the most inspiring setting you've ever visited in real life? 

I love to travel but the three munchkins has dampened our range a little the last few years. There's a great mix in being on holidays. My brain relaxes and when i'm not 'trying' to think i can sometimes think best.

Cue a family holiday to an island about an hour off our coast, the lovely Kangaroo Island. The restaurants were nice, the accomodation luxurious and we all had a wonderful time. Hubby decided we should drive to as many points on the island as we could fit in. We got to see stuff and the kids got some nap time (otherwise they were go, go go).

Driving through the at times isolated bush i got to thinking.... about a group of people cut off on the island. How, why, when. And so my last story came to be.

What about you, any inspiring settings?