The US Presidential election is only a few days away and the country is in turmoil. But, I’m tired. I’m tired of the arguing and depressed about the awfulness that is suddenly OK again. So, you know what? I want to talk about something else. I want to talk about Barbie dolls. And not just talk, I went on a hunt to see if I could find Barbie dolls that look like the characters in my book, The Travelers, or at least the way I picture them.
I’m headed to a local high school football game tonight, the second one I will attend in a two week period. I went to my high school reunion in mid-October and channeled some Friday Night Lights action during the event. Although, for me, the highlight was the tour of the school, especially the library. You can tell because I took more pictures of it than anything else. Yes, my love of books manifests itself in strange ways. Today, I’m going to embrace football and “tackle” creating a list of top YA books featuring, you guessed it, football and things associated with it.
Oh passive voice, the bane of my writing existence, along with idioms and the use of semicolons. (I actually despise semicolons. Just start a new sentence!) But that is a rant for another time. As a newly published author, I probably struggled with passive voice the most. And through those struggles, along with the help of some very seasoned book editors, I think I’ve learned enough about the topic to provide some helpful (and abbreviated, for those of you with busy schedules) advice.
In case you’re wondering, November 1, 2016 is National Calzone Day, National Author’s Day, National Brush Day, and National Family Literacy Day. Guess which one I’m going to write about? Brushes of course! Brushes are so versatile. Alright, I’m joking. Obviously, since I am a newly published author (The Travelers, check it out!) and avid reader, I am more excited about National Author’s Day than National Brush Day. Therefore, I want to celebrate authors and their fantastic thoughts and ideas.
It's finally Halloween! My house didn't get egged or TP'd last night. So I guess my neighborhood had a quiet Mischief Night. Now comes the fun part! I can't wait to watch all the kids suit up and threaten to play tricks on people unless they give them treats. It's a weird sort of custom when you think about it. (So I try not to think about it.) Since it's Halloween, here are my 13 (seemed like an appropriate number) favorite Halloween costumes based on literary characters.
It’s Mischief Night! If you watched the latest episode of ‘Blackish’, then you are familiar with the night before Halloween. Although hopefully no one is really taking it to “purge” levels (funniest episode ever). If you aren’t familiar with Mischief Night, it’s a night of mild vandalism and pranks, typically perpetrated by teens. (Think TP houses, egging cars, smashing pumpkins, etc.) Mischief Night, infamously also called Devil’s Night, specifically in Detroit, has turned up in TV, movies, literature and music over the decades.
Halloween is so soon. And what would my 13 days of Halloween blog be without at least one ode to undead bloodsuckers? From literature to TV to film, the popularity of these pervasive mythical monsters is unstoppable. I am not only a vampire fangirl. I also do my part to continue this cultural fondness for the fang. I’ve even sired a new vampire story fan—my 11-year-old daughter, who recently sank her teeth into ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ reruns. (While she thinks Buffy kicks butt she also keeps asking my why that Angel guy never wears his shirt.) Where did my fang-tastic obsession begin?
K.L. Kranes 