I think it's a well-known fact that I *heart* Miss Snark's First Victim. I entered the Drop the Needle thingy going on over there. Here's mine. Feel free to tell me what you think (here or over there). Suckage? Dude, you'd read this? Worth sitting down and pontificating on what the freaking ending should be? (Yeah, it's one of those WiP's.)
If you haven't joined the festivities over there yet, you should. It's a fun time for all.
Also on my mind as of late is the trend in young adult fiction. As a lover of YA stuff, I find myself constantly throwing books in the trash. That's right. Books. In the TRASH. When did young adult novels become R, or even X-rated? I mean, teenagers can't get into the movies, but they can read all about it. I'm not a fan of that, which has me reconsidering my love of YA stuff. What say you?
Let's see...what else? What's a blog post without a mention of American Idol? My severe addiction to reality TV has not been addressed on the blog. (I do try to hide some of my indiscretions.
) But it's bad. Maybe even worse than my insane addiction to the Internet. Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, Dancing With The Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, and of course, American Idol.I'm shouting out for Adam Lambert. Love the guy, even though he does wear eyeliner and that's not usually the way I roll. I'm also pulling for Danny Gokey and Alexis Grace. Who do you like?
[rapid topic switch]
I've also noticed that a lot of people post pictures with their blog entries. Hmm...I do not do this so much. I wonder why that is. (Laziness? Undoubtedly.) So I'm wondering, do I need to put pictures with my posts? I mean, I like pictures and all that, and I almost always comment on them. Maybe I'm just picture-challenged. I can never find one that fits perfectly, certainly not like some other people I've seen. Maybe that's it. Fear of being picture-inferior. Thoughts on the whole picture thing? Or just my insecurities? (Man, who knew this ranting stuff would be like therapy?)
Whatev. You tell me.
11 comments:
Just commented on your entry over at Miss Snark's. Loved it!
As for the YA books you're throwing in the trash, which titles have you found to be too racy? The YA that I've read has been pretty tame, but that could be attributed to the fact that 2 seasons of Gossip Girl has deadened my sensitivities a bit.
I already commented on your entry on MSFV. Thanks for your thoughts on my chapter ending!
I can't comment on YA fiction or reality TV, as I'm not familar with them.
Pictures can be a fun way to illustrate a topic, but I don't think they're necessary. I'll post family pictures on my blog, and if I think of something appropriate for a Blog Chain topic, I might Google the image add it to my post. Otherwise, I don't spend a lot of time searching for them. Life's too short. I'm content with your thoughts and opinions.
I admit, I like racy sometimes, but that's also why I *don't* write Young Adult. Read it, yes.
And sweet romances, where the lady is a lady and doesn't sleep with the hero, have also been shoved into their own subgenre -- the default now is to have even the heroines of historicals act with mores of modern missess.
Maybe we'll soon have to see a subgenre of YA where those which are not R are specifically called "sweet" or "family friendly." I hope it doesn't come to that.
Pictures. I never used to have pictures in my blog cause I didn't know how. Then I learned, and now I am a rampaging blog-picture monster, BWHAHAHAHAHAHA! Let's just hope I never figure out how to embed You Tube video's in my blog. (How *does* one do that?)
I'm glad to hear you say that about YA fiction, being upset about the R and X-ratedness of it. I haven't read an YA fiction in several years, though I used to read a ton of it, and while the books sometimes dealt with sex and drugs, it wasn't X-rated. When I browse the books at B&N now, I think, "Dear God, is this what kids are reading?"
I'm revising my YA novel now, and it is not racy, and Elana if you have any awesome, non-racy YA books to recommend, can you please let me know? I think it'll do me good to read in the genre.
Also, about posting photos in my posts, I don't do it either. I just never think to, although I don't have a problem with images in others' posts. I'm sure it's just whatever you feel like doing/have time for.
Oh, and I liked your entry for MSFV. I agree with most that I thought she was literally in flames at first, then realized it was more the fire inside. I also wondered about the freshly dug grave, and what "Manifest" and "Elemental" meant, but I figured that out by the end, and obviously if I had been reading previous pages, all of that would've made sense.
For such a small amount of words, though, I thought the scene was very vivid, and I certainly understood Gabby's fear and uneasiness.
I know, Sandra! You did an awesome comment! Thanks! And, dude, you really need to get yourself some reality TV. I don't know how you've survived this long without it.
Tara - I can do YouTube's! I can do pictures too, I just don't. It's not the first thing I think of. Maybe it will be now. Not sure.
Annie, I'll let you know. And thanks for reading! :) Did you enter?
First, I totally agree. Sex is an issue for teens, but my heavens, do we have to draw them pictures and spell it out? I admit that I get racy and have to do some trimming on my stuff, but I don't draw pictures. My stuff stays PG-13.
And Elana, you hit the nail with your AI picks! I've called those as the top 3 all along! Seriously, are there even any others who come close? NO!
But I think Danny will win, Adam will take second, and Alexis third. But I have to say, the camera loves Adam, and he loves it. That cute little smirk he does...
Now off to read your MSFV post. I'll comment over there.
OK - here we go...first: I love the ending of Chpt 1 of EH (but you knew that), second: I SO am inteo reality TV (It's an illness I think :) ) and I love your AI picks, and finally - on the YA thing - - I think the trend is starting to change a little...can't really say why that is (maybe the marketing background...not sure). It is bound to still have an edge - but not to the extreme that is currently out there.
Happy Friday :)
No, I didn't enter, but I didn't know it was happening. Maybe next time (yikes).
Pics aren't necessary. (I do it because my posts are often boooooooooring. Your's are not.) I'm pullin' for Adam too. Your top three are mine as well. Gokey is adorable.
Wow, which YA books did you trash? I haven't found any bad enough to make me chuck them out.
As for what I think ... I don't know. I'd need to see the books in question. Do I think graphic sex should be in YA books? Nope, not at all. But a little? If it's tasteful and fits the plot, it doesn't bother me.
I love how Holly Black handled a sexual encounter in her novel Valiant, for example.
A lot of teenagers read adult books, so I wouldn't underestimate a mature teenager being able to handle sexual content without deciding to run out and do it themselves.
On another topic, I keep forgetting to watch American Idol this season. I've watched all the other seasons, except the one where Fantasia won, so I don't know what's up with me this year. o.O
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