The politics of today...

The politics of today aren't going away anytime soon, so it's more important than ever that we be willing to talk about them. I've been hearing too much lately that we, specifically families or relationships in which people don't agree on politics, should stop talking about them in order to save face, to get along, to keep the peace. Loved ones aren't worth losing over something as trivial as politics. To that I say this: Ignorance is not bliss, it is damning. It is heartless. The politics of today are too important to keep loved ones around who don't understand the importance of what is happening, what is at stake. If you can honestly say that you are capable of ignoring the politics happening in the world right now, you are not only insanely privileged but not worth my time and, most certainly, not worthy of my love or respect. Because the politics of today? Those affect me greatly. They affect my friends and people I care deeply about. They affect people all over the world. The politics of today are not simply about money or taxes, but about humanity. Lives. People. Rights. If you can look away, if you can ignore all this even a little, you ignore me. You ignore what's happening to me and to those like me all over the world. And that isn't what family does. Obviously, we disagree on things. We can. It's allowed. It's even good, although sometimes it drives me crazy. Knowledge, awareness, and empathy are not kindled by those who only agree. I value learning from you. But it is very important to note the difference between disagreeing on things like larger tax breaks and things like religious or racial persecution. Things like taking away rights. Disagreeing on those issues of humanity is not okay. There is only one correct side there, and if you can't or don't want to or refuse to see that you are the problem. And honestly, this isn't about you. It's about all of us. It's about being part of something bigger than you, bigger than all of us. It's about the fight for humanity. For equality. It's about swallowing your outlandish fears and fighting for the things (or people) that scare you. Still, there are those who are fine with family who live in ignorance, or those who are, for many reasons, incapable of speaking out. To them I say, I'll do it for you. I have your back, even if you can't understand why or how. I am not okay with being okay with people who are not okay with me, but I understand those who must be. I have never been the person who thinks family is based on blood or labels. To me, family is always defined by you. By the way you are treated, the way you are loved and respected. The way you are accepted. And in the harsh reality of today, this view is more important to me than ever. I will not be quiet. I will not hide. I will argue and fight and make my voice heard even if it means I lose a friend, a family member, or a loved one. Those people are not worth losing my humanity over, and they are most certainly not worth you losing yours. I am with you. Always.

Election

Some personal thoughts for a personal time: The "My vote is my right and telling me to vote Clinton is wrong" sentiment is the same sentiment most third party voters have, and it's not wrong. But there is so much more to it than that, and so much you are saying about yourself by saying those words. Consider this: Is there, just maybe, a better time to protest than in an election with such severe social consequences? The time you should be marching for a third party vote is now, to prepare for 2020. This election was and always will be a different beast than any other, and by saying "you're taking away my rights to vote my choice" proves you don't understand or, more importantly, are too privileged to care. In a currently very flawed and unfair political system, no third party candidate has a chance of winning. You know this. I know this. By voting third party now, you acknowledge the fact that you, even if you didn't "mean" to, are giving your non-vote to Trump. Because, let's face it, the majority of third party voters skew more left than right. But let's go back to your "you're taking away my rights" argument. This is basically the same sentiment as saying "I voted for Trump, but I didn't vote for racism." Yes, you did. You cannot pick and choose a candidates qualities. You cannot vote for just one. You must accept all of them, good and bad. You must accept that by voting for a candidate, you are accepting the fact that you take votes away from the others. This is true for all. And by voting third party in this election you say "I knowingly admit my candidate has no chance of winning and therefore acknowledge the fact that Trump may become president based on my vote." There is no argument there. But here is where you are correct: The political system we have is flawed, and we should fight to change it. But little to no non-white non-straight people voted third party. And do you know why? Because we had and have a lot on the line, too much to risk voting for a candidate who would, even in the smallest possibilities, lend a vote to our enemy. We are not privileged enough to vote third party. You claim to want to exercise your rights - your vote left 100% of us with our rights on the line. And, looking to the future, instead of continuing to use your privilege on votes that are meaningless in the long run simply because you can afford to, perhaps we should all use our privilege to change the country now that we are all in the same sinking ship. Let me explain a bit more about privilege. Personally, I have always been a man of empathy, but one of the most difficult things for me to process is this: Even though I am a gay man and therefore a minority, I am still a white man and therefore have privilege many others do not. Often, I am hurt when diversity issues and diversity supporters looks less upon me than others because of my skin color. But I must remember this: Empathy is my sword, love is my shield. I must remember that even though I am hurting, many are hurting even more. Even though I am afraid, many are living in terror on a level I will never truly understand. This feeling I have, this terror and heartbreak and worry? This is a blanket many have been covered in for years, forever. And there it is. There is the truth we MUST understand if we ever want to overcome the hate that has been normalized today. It is an incredibly terrifying and wonderful feeling to admit, to know that you are not the center of the world, that your race or gender or religion or sexuality may not be as as important to fight for in this moment as others. To admit, even though you may not want to, that you are, on some level, a person of privilege. And that even in this fight for equality, we may need to fight in a way that takes privilege from us and gives it to others. We may feel pain, but there is always someone who feels more, always someone who needs more. In this, love is our greatest balm to ease that pain, and empathy is our strongest tool to understand it. So, this is not about me, but you can learn from me. It is not about you, but I can learn from you. It's about us, and we can always learn from each other. It's about understanding each day, and learning all over again tomorrow. Because we are not one, we are many. And this? We can be better than this. We will. We must.

Use your voice for positive change.

This is so important. Use your voice for positive change. More importantly, understand pointing out inequalities and ways things "could be better or more equal" is not hateful. It is not bigotry to correct a bigot. Those who are privileged enough to feel threatened by the equality of others are treating their privilege, their own equality, as a joke. Equality is for all, a positive and loving term without any kind of hate, not a tool to bring down others. More importantly, the second - the very second - we begin to fight hate with hate, violence with violence, we have already lost. But fighting for equality by showcasing what needs to be changed is not the same as enforcing sexist and stereotypically damaging bigotry. There are so many different types of people, so many different ways of life, that if we wrap them all up into just "men" or "women" or even "straight" or "gay" we have forgotten so many, and we can't afford that. It's not fair. It's not right. And it needs to change. We may think change takes time, and it might, but it also can happen quickly. Because the fact is this: The world is not equal, not even close, and it needs to be. Equality - the freedom to, without harm, love and be loved and just BE as we choose - is not about seeing what has been seen, rather about seeing what has not been, what needs to be, what has been hidden. Even if it's one person who is left out, it's that one person we need to fight for. That is not naive, not unrealistic. That's equality. That is love. That is the power we need to embrace to create real, positive change. That's the side I'm on and will always be on.

 "It is possible to change stagnant systems, even radically. But it requires more than a momentary outburst of resolve whenever crisis hits."

I Am An Introvert But

I am an introvert. It's difficult for me to speak in front of large groups, make small talk, and generally be in places with a large number of people surrounding me. It's not, really, that I am afraid. For me, it has more to do with the fact that I don't see the point. Once I am in love with a topic, I will speak about it forever and defend my view to the death. I am not always right, but I keep quiet about those issues; I don't like being uninformed or unprepared, or defend things I'm not sure about. When I do enter a debate I have already thought about it enough to defend my point from all sides. I will talk about life and love until I can't. And I love being surrounded by people I feel close to. But spending my time uselessly, in ways that refuse to or don't want to improve my life or those around me? No. My point? Social Media has given me a way to be part of the world without feeling like my introverted self doesn't belong. I truly believe Social Media is a good thing. Except when it's not. And, as we've all seen in recent months, used as a tool to destroy, hurt, and offend millions of people. Especially when we use and view Social Media as a way to spread hate, it can often feel like too many voices screaming at once - a void in which no one really listens. I get that. But I want to point out this video. A man who speaks from his heart. Video that has not been edited, like so many news broadcasts are. Social Media is also a tool for good. I see my friends posting and talking about ways to change the world, ways to come together. I see horrific posts that inspire us to grow while reminding us that it's okay to be sad. And I see posts like this video that prove there are people who strive for kindness, equality, and love. People who are not afraid to call out the bigots. Because like it or not, everything is politics. The politics we're experiencing now. The politics of being human, standing together to fight for unity. The politics of being heard, when you're told you are less than. And let me make this very clear: There is a huge difference between using the freedom of speech to hurt and using it to express. What's going on now is wrong. No one has the right to kill, to hurt, to harm, to create victims, to cause suffering, to destroy love and loved ones. As an introvert, I choose to save my voice for when I truly feel it's important to speak. Until then, I am listening. And now? Now it's more important than ever to speak, to use your voice against this hate. Not only the hate of political parties, but the hate used against so many of us every single day. We must confront the dark with light. It is okay to be quiet, to be listening. It's important to find yourself in the silence. I'll be the first to tell you that. But your voice, your positive voice against all this hateful bigotry, is so important too. Show Social Media what it truly means to be a beacon of light in the dark.

On Diversity For All

Simply put, diversity should exist in all types of media and favor all types of people. 

This is, however, never simple.

Because when it comes to diversity, there is always someone left out. In books, if we write about race we cannot write about all races. If we write about gender, we cannot write about the specifics of all genders. If we write about love, we cannot write about everyone.

Everyone is unique. 

Recently, there have been several accounts of people (authors, bloggers, readers) who are unhappy with the state of diversity in literature, film, and media. I agree. We need more. We will always need more. But I also think, and this is a very personal opinion of mine, that we must understand that we cannot please everyone at once. This is an uphill battle. One that we must reinforce with positivity and love. If we continue to point out every single negative thing about how the world is treating diversity, every single thing we are unhappy with, without highlighting the positive nature of this diverse movement, we fall farther and farther behind where we want to be. 

We cannot please everyone, and we certainly should not ignore those who throw negativity in the face of equality, but love does grow stronger than hate. And I've been seeing a lot of hate coming from those in favor of diversity. Those who claim diversity is done a certain way. That mindset is hateful. Where is the positivity? The safe haven? The equality for all? 

While we cannot please everyone, we can change the lives of those individuals who relate to the very universal themes in our individual books. After all, who would want to read a book that was meant for everyone? Often, when we write to please everyone, we please no one. Our themes end up being too vague, too much. And we forget that no matter our race, sexuality, or gender, we all experience many of the same universal experiences - love, sadness, happiness, sexual awakenings, death, tragedy. Diversity should not be forced, but natural - because it is natural. 

So I ask this, a question I do not know the answer to because I'm not sure there is a true answer: Is diversity better written when it is focused on a specific diverse topic, or when it is simply part of the genre story?

For me, I think the answer is both. We need stories that feature diverse characters talking and dealing with diverse ideas and things. We need those stories to learn, relate, and grow. We need personal experiences to help others know they are valued. Important information is being missed by the world because these stories don't exist in bulk. But we also need stories where diversity is not part of a lecture, but part of the genre story. Where all genders and all sexualities and all races and all people can be the main characters in the blockbuster stories we love to read and discuss.

We need both. The options of both. The freedoms that both bring. And their unique hopes. 

We need to see ourselves in books and movies.

What we do not need is the negativity that comes from people telling us one thing is better than the other. That we are doing diversity wrong. 

That is impossible. 

We are all unique individuals. Look in the mirror. You are the only you. The only one. We all have shared experiences, but then again, we don't. No matter our race, sexuality, gender, we all face the world differently. We all see things differently. We all live and love and grow differently. And yet a lot of our experiences are shared. We love. We die. We hate. We cry. We laugh. We smile. And so even in genre stories without strict diversity storylines, we are able to find pieces of our individual humanities in the lives of these fictional characters. 

For the character you write or read or watch, there is a person who will relate. That person just might not be you. And that's okay. It's diversity. 

One diversity is not more diverse than another. 

This is a celebration of us all. Of positivity for everyone. Every single one of us. It is also a celebration of unity. This movement of diversity is helping the world see in color, not just black and white. We cannot damn those who are not like us just because they are different. We cannot damn those who are trying to understand. We cannot damn those who are trying to help. We cannot damn those who are being positive about love and freedom and happiness for all, just because they are not doing it in the way we think is best.

Specifically, when it comes to books and film, readers and viewers both are influenced by traditionally made media and independently made media. We need to highlight both, because both matter. When making diversity lists, we need to include everything. Isn't that what diversity is all about? Or are we still focusing on gaps that rarely exist in the eyes of readers and viewers? Are those gaps not examples of hate and poor diversity? 

This is a celebration for all. Throw away your negativity. It's time to be in this together.

Read everything. Watch everything. Support everything you love. 

And talk. Spread the word about books and movies that mean something to you no matter what they look like. 

Don't be afraid. This is about love and equality. This is about you. And you are important. 

Awesome "Halloween" Reads

Since I'm always looking for books to read this time of year, I thought it would be cool if I picked some "Halloween" books to share with you on the blog. These are books that are not exactly about Halloween, but have the feel of this time of year. Fall. Leaves. Cold. Dark. Mystery. Those kind of books. 

1) The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

I really loved this dark, creepy story about vampires. While there is romance in this book, these vampires hunt like crazy. They're vicious and dangerous and I loved that. Amazingly written. 

2) Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

This book is dark and light, serious and funny. And I loved it. It's refreshingly told, and the characters are very real. Since this book deals with dark magic in a small town where strange things happen, it's a perfect, creepy and mysterious read for this time of year.

3) The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

So. Good. This is a darker read about dark things. Mystery. Suspense. Love. Magic. I love every single page and was so glad it was the first of a trilogy. A truly wonderful book for the Halloween season.

4) Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater

A perfect Autumn read. If the cover doesn't capture you, get glasses. This book is amazing, like a song. Stiefvater's writing is flawless and gorgeous, and the story itself will hook you. I swear I could feel the leaves burning.

Four Things I Learned About Veronica Roth After Reading Allegiant

After reading Allegiant, here are four (get it?) things I've learned about Veronica Roth. 

*NO SPOILERS*

1) Veronica Roth is brave, incredibly so. To end a series is an impossible task, because even though the books have been written the characters find a way to live on in our minds. For an author, a series never really ends. The story might end, but there are always new readers, new thoughts, and random scenes that appear in your mind. Ending a series is brave.

2) She knows her characters and is not afraid to show their faults. She is not afraid to tell the story of a girl who is both strong and weak. She is not afraid to tell the story of a boy who is both strong and weak. And I think that is amazing. Men and women, we are all everything at once. We are not just one thing, strong or weak. These are brave things to feature because readers tend to look at (some) flaws negatively - especially when it comes to ideas about sexism and gender equality. This is why I will always love Tris and Tobias - because they are everything at once, as it is. I've found more comments from readers of Allegiant that the ending "blew" because Four appeared weak. And if you've read the ending, you'll know (hopefully) why comments like this are ridiculous. Fear, tears, sadness, love, hope, and loss are never signs of weakness no matter who wears them. Boys will not be boys and girls will not be girls, at least not in this series - and that is something wonderful.

3) Veronica Roth is brave because of that ending. Because it made sense. Because it was vivid and real and raw. And because the ending stayed true to the characters. More importantly, knowing how readers would react makes Roth an even braver soul than most. She knew. For the most part, authors and publishers and agents and editors always do. Knowing that and still writing something because it has to be written is brave. 

4) Veronica Roth is brave. The end.

And in the end, I don't know if this was the ending I was hoping for, but it surely was the ending I needed. The one that was meant to be. The one that should have happened. And the one that, no matter what, will teach us to live freely and move forward and, like Tobias says, "mend each other."

Writing is Like Taking a Photograph

Yesterday, my friend and fellow author Matthew Aaron Browning wrote a blog post discussing how, for him, Writing is Like Building a House. He talks about how his writing process is a lot like seeing the end picture and knowing how a story will end, but not knowing the details that got him there.

"I begin by outlining the major plot points of the book (the blueprints) and then write toward them, moving my characters from scene to scene, sequence to sequence and chapter to chapter in pursuit of that next plot point. With Blades of Grass, I knew where I needed these two people to end up, so I wrote until they got there."

This is also how I write. Kind of. I write the end first, then the beginning, and I finish the middle last. It's easier for me to know where I'm going, figure out where I want to begin, and find the journey connecting both last. Like Matthew, I outline major plot points and understand a lot of the major details of the story, but it's not until I'm finished with a draft when I often realize how much details are missing. I did this for Light of the Moon and the stories within Shades of the Stars.

I'm working on this story. For now, let's just call it code name Bad Ass. Because it's crazy and different and romantic and weird and sensitive and strong. And you have to be a bad ass to be all those things at once. Right? Right. Anyway, Bad Ass is about a girl and a guy. It's about a different world with very different creatures and rules. I started Bad Ass like I do many of my stories, with the end finished before the middle happened. And, of course, I wrote a kissing scene first. Because I have to. That's just how I work. As it is now, I have the first draft of Bad Ass nearly completed, but as I am reading over chapters to send to early readers, I'm realizing how many things still need to get added. Creating a new world is difficult, and it's because of details that they can seem so real. I have to figure out the story behind these two characters kissing, this end scene that is as vivid as a photograph in my mind.

"It isn’t until I reach the end of a novel that I realize I tend to gloss over the details – the internal motivations and emotions that propel my characters through these scenes. While these things are in my head, I neglect to ensure they’re getting onto the page. I build a solid foundation, put up walls, throw in some windows, maybe even slap on a little paint and a shiny new roof... The house isn’t move-in ready because it hasn’t been decorated yet."

So, to me, writing is a lot like a photograph. Like a house that needs to be filled with a story. In Bad Ass, I have taken a picture and I know how it will end and what I want it to look like, but I have to create a detailed story to accompany the end photograph. Writing is like seeing a picture of a place you've never visited before and wondering what it would be like to go there. Writing is like holding a picture of a kissing couple and wondering what happened to get them there. Writing is like seeing a burned war photograph and living the final battle of that soldier, and then imagining their life before and after. The mind creates stories for pictures, for pieces of art without words, and that's what I must do for Bad Ass. I know exactly how it must end. I can see the photograph. I just need to words that make that photograph true.





How do you write?

A Little Bit of This and That and Love

A week ago I wrote this piece for ADR3NALIN3, the other blog on post on, on what insta-love really is. I still stand by what I wrote there, but I do want to clarify a few things. 

"And while we might not see every single trial and tribulation they go through, there are very few literary couples that have everything so perfect from beginning to end. Actually, I can’t think of one. So much of the criticism surrounding insta-love is that it happens so quickly. One moment and it’s over. Love has been had. That’s it. In reality, those moments of instant connection are just the beginning of a more delicate love. There are different stages of love, each of them simple and complex at the same time. And while there are those who think literary criticism and real life opinions should stay separate, I think that, like love, nothing is so black and white. So, to call the idea of “insta-love” or “love at first sight” unrealistic would be accurate only if that was all that happened. But that’s not exactly the complete version of love, it’s the beginnings of it. A much better term for the insta-love connection we see so regularly in literature would be “insta-kind-of-love-but-really-thinking-about-becoming-love” because love, in reality and in literature, is so much more than that first connection. It’s about building upon that first connection, whether it’s a good or bad one. Through the tough times and the easy. And while it does all have to start somewhere, that moment of first sight is not where it ends. That, after all, wouldn’t be any kind of love story. Love surrounds all the great moments in life. For some of us, these moments just happen in an instant and stay around long after."

What I mean is this: The stories we read about in novels are just moments of much larger stories. Like looking at a photograph, we're only giving a moment in time. So, perhaps we're looking at the moment in which love happens. Perhaps not. Either way, I think it's important to realize that even though love or something like it may happen within the first few pages of a story, that certainly doesn't mean it's the end. Or even the beginning. There are all different kinds of love, but not one that ends as quickly as it begins. A first connection should not define a story. Rather, it should enhance the urgency we often read about in literature that is so often missed in real life. 

So, fall in love. 

Take risks. 

Live in the moment.  

Love surrounds all the great moments in life.

ALSO REMEMBER THAT THE SHADES OF THE STARS COVER REVEAL TOUR IS NEXT WEEK! SO CHECK BACK ON MONDAY FOR THE COMPLETE LIST OF BLOGS!

On Diversity (Again)

Quick post today.

I came across this awesome photo on Twitter today:

Divergent. The Hunger Games. Percy Jackson. Harry Potter.

Seriously and without sarcasm, this photo is awesome. As are the books. As are the authors. As are the characters. As are (for the most part) the movies. 

But when I saw this photo, I looked at it for a few seconds. I didn't like something, but I didn't know exactly what it was. I couldn't put my finger on it. And then it hit me. 

Where is the diversity?

Now, don't get me wrong. I LOVE these books, their authors, and the characters that live on their pages. I wouldn't change a thing about them. But I do think it's time for diversity to grace the literary stage in the form of heroes and heroines. See my posts HERE and HERE on diversity. And the truth is that there are a lot of amazing and diverse books out there (Legend by Marie Lu). So, why not? It's time, I think. Although I will say (like I say HERE), a diverse point simply made for the sake of being diverse can ruin the entire point - it's about leading by example not by lecture. Story must come first, of course, and nothing should ever be forced simply to make a point - when that happens, often the point is lost. And I think it's time for some new colors (also, gender/sexuality/age/etc) in the way of heroes and heroines.

What do you all think? 

Books I Want and Covers I Love

I want need all these as soon as possible. I'm so excited for these books to come out! What are some books that you're excited for? Any of these?

And remember that Shades of the Stars is coming in July!

On The Greatness of Gatsby (The Movie)

The Good: I'm not sure why so many critics and readers have been so apprehensive about another adaptation of The Great Gatsby, especially with such a talented team attached to it. The acting in this film is, as expected, incredible. There has never, ever been a better Gatsby or a more beautiful "fool" of a Daisy. In all honesty, the acting was the best part of the film. That, and the script that seemed to be an extension of the book itself - with lines literally coloring the screen. Those worried about the faithfulness of the film to the novel should rest easy, because while the coloring of the film may seem a bit different than what we're used to, even Baz Luhrmann's art direction stays true to the definition of the Roaring Twenties. In fact, Luhrmann's crew spent quite a bit of time researching buildings and inspiration pieces that Fitzgerald himself would have seen. The sets are equally fantastic and true.

EDIT: I've read a few reviews that claim the movie ignores the "heart" of the novel, and I completely disagree. One look at (2013) Gatsby and Daisy together and I wonder how anyone could question the complicated love they have for each other. If anything, this movie lives from the hearts of its actors.

Don't be afraid of something just because it looks a bit different, people. Look beneath the surface.

The Bad: Okay. Not so much bad, because I really did enjoy Gatsby. Still, I wish there would have been a stronger focus on art direction. Yes, I said it. With the film already being directed by Luhrmann, I was prepared for a Moulin Rouge-type spectacular show. And I got it. Sometimes. Sometimes, however, the madness of the Roaring Twenties just looked like a fun costume party. Which, actually, I guess it probably was.

Specifically, the party scenes came off as lacking (see above), with some of the decorations looking like they escaped from a Party City Sweet Sixteen party instead of a million dollar Gatsby party. Luhrmann decided to focus more on story rather than stay more than a few seconds on the jazz performers. For that he should be proud, because it surely pleased critics and stubborn readers. Those jazz scenes, however, are the places in the film where I wanted more. And while the art direction of the film was still incredibly beautiful, nothing compared to shots like this:

Or when we first meet Daisy. When she is giggling in a room filled with white curtains. That scene is pure movie magic, as though the book were living and breathing on screen. I wanted more like that. And while it's clear this is a more serious Luhrmann piece, though it does have a lot of comedic moments, some of the film felt uneven.

Like the soundtrack. Jay-Z's attempt was ambitious yet lacking (movie soundtrack vs. album soundtrack). Possibly the oddest part of the film's soundtrack was when "Crazy in Love" began to play during an already comedic (and romantic) scene between Gatsby and Daisy. Most of the soundtrack (except for the gorgeous and completely appropriate "Young and Beautiful") just felt off. There were beautiful moments when jazz met art and the Roaring Twenties came to life on screen - and a lot of those happened when the soundtrack was completely modern and filled with R&B beats and style - but a few times it just felt oddly flat. Especially after the beauty of the trailer. 

Still, this movie is beautiful and filled with accurate imagery that is also seen in the novel. Daisy always wears white. The green light becomes not only a metaphor for love, but life and the American Dream. The iconic Gatsby is stripped away layer by layer. And even Nick, the narrator of the story, is shown in the film as being lost to this incredibly intoxicating world of jazz and love and alcohol. 

Beautiful. 

The Importance of World Building

Once upon a time, I wrote THIS post discussing world building in Light of the Moon. And then THIS post, which appeared on Smash Attack Read's wonderful blog (go check it out). The main idea in both of those articles was that world building should be a quiet whisper of what is actually happening in the story. Mainly, we should see the world through the character's eyes. I still think the "show rather than tell" approach is a great way to go, but I can't help but think there is so much more to world building than that.

I'm a firm believer that certain literary things have greater impacts if they are done quietly. Certain topics are better felt than lectured upon (see THIS post about diversity in Marie Lu's Legend). Certain elements of diversity are better understood through action rather than instruction. The point of this whispered theory is this: A reader will feel more, understand more, and be involved more if a character is taken on an emotional journey rather than simply placed in the middle of the action. For me, this is very true. I connect more with characters who grow and develop through the story. I understand more if they show instead of tell.

I think this approach can also be said in reference to world building.

Once upon a time I said this: "For me, world building is about creating characters that are able to show things about your worlds you cannot."

Now I say this: The world you create should be as alive as your characters. It should live and breathe and be a character itself. 

The world should be detailed, real. Through the character's eyes, the world should come alive because it already IS alive. And we should see that as readers. We should feel the impact of the world instead of read a lecture about it. World building is incredibly important. It can make or break a novel. World building is a character. What do you think?

Of course, there are exceptions to every rules, especially when it comes to writing.

Go break some.

5 First Things (I Think) All Authors Will Always Remember

1) Typing the words THE and END together. At last.

For me, this happened a long time before THE END actually was THE END, but I still remember it clearly. The first time I finished a story, even if it wasn't ready for publication, I felt like I HAD something. I had done something good enough to type THE END. And that is something I still remember to this day. The first time.

2) Hiding specific lines or references in the story and hoping your editor doesn't catch them. And, if they do, fighting for them tooth and nail. Or reworking them into a different passage. Because that's not cheating.

Okay. I'll admit I've done this multiple times. During edits or revising, sometimes things don't work out the way we want them to, and sometimes lines have to be deleted. There's always that one line, however, that I want to MAKE IT more than anything. And if for some reason it doesn't make it in that first draft, you can bet I'll find a way to make it fit somewhere else. I pretend I'm a secret agent until I get the job done. 

3) Seeing your first cover for the first time.

Enough said. 

4) Looking around your house after the final round of edits and saying "So this is what it looks like when a tornado hits."

I always knew being an author would be hard work. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want to be doing anything else, but it is tough work - especially during those finals deadlines. I remember my first "real" deadline, pausing about halfway through, and wondering if my work space would ever look the same again. Normally, I'm a bit of a clean freak, but everything was out of place. General madness. But that's what happens during deadlines. You let your work consume you. And, in the end, there is absolutely no feeling better than finishing a manuscript.

5) Seeing your book in an actual store for the first time.

It's real. It is a real thing. Not just an ARC. Not just for you. It's here for people to buy. People in real life, not just on Twitter. It's real. 

It. Is. Real.

Diversity Through Many Eyes

This is me.

Average height.
Average weight.

Average hipster glasses.

Nerd alert.

And yet, because of who I am and what I look like, there are things in this world I will never understand completely. I do, however, understand what it’s like to feel human. We all do. I understand what it feels like to be an outsider. To be different. We are all different, each and every one of us, but it’s through these differences that we are most alike. No matter the color of our skin or our hipster glasses, we all have the ability to see. See difference. See life. See truth. And, most importantly, see beyond what we can see on the surface of things. See beyond the scars we all have. See beyond color and culture, and embrace these differences as parts of the diverse world we live in. Because as different as we all may seem, we all fit. 

“Imagine if, no matter how many books you read, you couldn’t find any main characters that you could see yourself in. Think of how alone you’d feel. Maybe you’d start to feel like something was wrong with you. Shameful. Or maybe you’d just feel not seen. Not having yourself represented in books is like being invisible. It’s like people are saying you don’t matter, you’re not good enough to appear in a book. I think it’s important that we all have reflections of ourselves in books. And including many diverse characters, not just straight, white, able-bodied characters, is a more complete representation of our real world. I also think that if we have diversity in YA novels, if we normalize it (as I believe we should), it may eventually help some readers to be less homophobic, less racist, more accepting of many different people–all without preaching, just because they read books they love with characters who aren’t like them,” said Cheryl Rainfield, author of Scars. 

We all know what it’s like to feel human, and what it’s like to simply not. 

“Ironically, “diversity” is such a diverse term in itself, and most of the time is expressed in a negative light. Anything or anyone different sends up that little, nagging red flag in the back of our heads. Different is dangerous. Original is ostentatious and odd. I've dealt with the issue of diversity my whole life, for religious reasons, and it doesn't seem to be going away. As the human family, a species that’s made up of all the same stuff, we need to learn the language of oneness. When we do that, we’ll be able to experience benefits, not as separate “groups,” but as a species. If two sides think they are right and the other is wrong, perhaps they’re missing what’s going on in between. When we put aside and look passed the differences of others, we can find what truly is right for us as a whole. Don’t think, how are we different? Think, how are we the same?” said Gale Ryan, author of Unspeakable. 

Our differences do not have to define us, segregate us, or exile us. And yet it’s okay to understand these differences. Diversity does not mean that difference is gone. In fact, diversity is all about being different. It’s how we treat these differences that’s important. With respect. With equality in mind. With understanding, curiousty, and respect. 

“I had never known what it was like to be a minority until I lived in Japan. Suddenly, just by the color my hair, eyes, and skin, I was an outsider. No matter where I went, I stuck out. And it's not to say that the Japanese people were unkind about this, but they couldn't help but treat me differently. Japanese people often give foreigners a polite distance. And even when they don't, you can't help but be acutely aware how different you are. Also, not all Japanese act like this. I'm not trying to stereotype, but to say that this opinion is prevalent. Some of these are struggles I hoped to tackle in INK. My MC, Katie, moves to Japan from America and faces these kind of hurdles along the way. Experiencing it myself made me see for the first time from a minority perspective.The thing is, we have more in common than we have that is different. That's what Katie finds in INK. And that's what I've found in Japan. Being different in Japan has helped me appreciate what we have in common, and that's what we need to hold on to in our novels. Find the common ground, and don't let the story be about differences of culture, gender, language, sexual orientation, or anything else. These are details, not characters. It's so important to make sure everyone feels included, and no one feels stared at,” said Amanda Sun, author of INK. 

Here I am, a white male, and yet I think I can understand a little of what it’s like to be a different shade of male because I have other differences all my own. And it is through these differences that we can, if we choose to, see how much we are all alike. Picture what it's like to walk in someone else's shoes. Visualize what it might be like to look like someone else. Because the truth is this: It is possible to see the world through someone else’s eyes, to include everyone by remembering your own struggles. 

“It is only natural for us to take in visual information about people and to recognize and use that information; as an evolutionary adaptation, we use physical differences to tell apart our friends, relatives, and allies from those who are unfamiliar to us. But the noticing of differences should not translate to judgment or discrimination in this day and age. So in my mind, this is a sharp and proverbial double-edged sword: categorizing and stereotyping is dismissive of those truly unique things about each person. I am not "unique" because of the fact that I am the only female Asian-American professor in my department -- I am unique because of the person that I am. However, without people taking the opportunity to actively seek out others who outwardly appear different than themselves, no one would ever know that. So my advice to all is to seek out others, regardless of what what exterior you see,” said Helen Boswell, author of Mythology. 

Diversity is about seeing everyone; it’s not black or white. 

Equality is about believing in everyone; it’s not gay or straight. 

“I grew up gay in an Appalachian coal town before any semblance of gay life had been introduced to us on a regular basis. We’re talking pre-Will & Grace and pre-Ellen here. Everyone’s notions about gay people were based largely on stereotype. It made for a tough adolescence, trying to reconcile my sexuality with what I thought was socially and religiously “normal.” But a funny thing happened. Once I began to accept myself and be open about it, the level of compassion I saw from the people important to me was overwhelming. It taught me the power of exposure in increasing understanding. Exposure to diversity can lead to fundamental change, and I think it’s happening right before us in the gay community. It’s that awareness that’s helping us reach a greater sense of understanding. Look at Senator Portman of Ohio and his reversal on the gay marriage issue because of his son. I mean, who’s left in society that doesn’t have a gay person in their life in some way? Nobody. I often get told I don’t seem like a product of the region in which I was raised. While I’m very proud of my upbringing, I secretly take it as a compliment. I wasn’t raised in a place known for embracing diversity, but my own struggles have opened my eyes to the need to do just that, be it race, sexuality, culture or religion. And those struggles have helped my family and friends in that little coal town do the same thing,” said Matthew Aaron Browning, author of the forthcoming novel, Straightville, U.S.A. 

In so many ways, hate comes down to fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of others. Fear of what we see, and what we don’t. Fear of what is missing. Fear of difference. But when we fear, when we let these aspects of diversity scare us, we are only harming ourselves. 

“I was raised to believe that I was better than other kids by virtue of the fact that my dad was a doctor, the only one, in fact, in our small Texas town. But when I was twelve and at my most awkward preteen stage—gangly, bespectacled, and plagued by skin problems—that illusion was shattered. My school integrated, racial tensions flared, riots broke out, and without warning, my siblings and I were withdrawn from school and moved to another district where no one knew us or cared who my dad was. For the next five months I spent my evenings in a cramped camper in my grandparents’ backyard and my days in a school with strange and unfriendly faces. I endured daily harassment, name calling, disdain—the biting sting of being an outsider. My identity and my security had been shattered. I would take years to find myself again. In many ways, those five months made me who I am today. For I understand in my deepest heart of hearts that true worth comes not from our family tree or our circumstances or how we look or who we love, but from who we are inside. It’s a theme I’m compelled to explore again and again in my writing,” said J.H. Trumble, author of Don’t Let Me Go and Where You Are.  

The truth is that when we fear difference, or don’t accept it, we are only fearing ourselves. Because you and me? We are different. No one is exactly the same so no one deserves to get hurt for being unlike you. 

“I was an overweight kid and dealt with a great deal of taunting/teasing and general nastiness from people of all ages, especially within my own age group. In some ways in made me a much more caring person in the sense that I knew how awful it felt to be the brunt of someone's joke or looked upon with disgust. I never wanted to have anyone else experience those same feelings at my expense. As a man who also happens to be gay, I am well aware of how much harm bigotry and hatred cause to any segment of society and how much they can hurt an individual. I am a much stronger person now that I have learned to properly separate the rhetoric of hate-spewers from the opinions of the people I love and care about. Understanding that the people who hate truly only hate themselves (even though most wouldn't be able to understand this concept) makes me better appreciate the love and support of the people that stand up and refuse to let the voice of hatred ever overtake the power of love,” said Ross McCoubrey, author of One Boy’s Shadow. 

Minority is a label that claims a group of people to be less than. Less than what? Who? In reality, aren’t we all a part of some minority? And so, isn’t it right to say that the idea of change should come from everyone, instead of only those people who claim to be in the majority? And if we all, on some level, are part of a minority or a majority, doesn't that mean those labels are meaningless? This is our world, our change, our way of life, and yet there is room in it for everyone no matter what they look like. No matter what we look like, we all have something great to offer. All of us, together. We, however, need to see this. Diversity is already here. We just need to accept it.

“Who am I? I'm a Korean American and like so many other people of Asian descent living outside their motherlands, we are seen as the voiceless minority. How many times in my life have I heard someone yell out at me "Why don't you go back home to China, Japan or Vietnam, where you belong?" Why can't they understand that we are home? Ask a Korean American who has gone to visit Korea and ask them if they felt at home? How could they? They face a different type of discrimination. The kind that says you may look Asian but you can't speak the language and you can't really understand our culture. It's so hard to understand that this place I call home and that I’m so proud of, doesn’t necessarily share its pride and pleasure of having the world's most diverse community of different races and cultures. You won't see a lot of minorities gracing the covers of books, magazines or major movies. Not that there isn't any, just not a lot. And then there's the fact that there has been a history of whitewashing in publishing and in theater that continues to this very day. The question I can't help but ask is why? We are already the minority. Why marginalize us even more? And it always comes down to this. We people of color can't sell books or movies. But the thing is, do they even try? Or do they throw one token POC cover out there, give it barely any support, see that it doesn't do well, and call it a day. Change happens when we make what was once so different the norm. Representing diversity is especially important for publishers of children's books. Books are the gateways for the imagination. When we promote only a homogeneous view of society in our literature and our media and deem books or movies about minorities as unsuccessful, it harms everyone. But worse, we fail in our duty to educate and inspire the minds of the future generations,” said Ellen Oh, author of Prophecy.   

Diversity is about everyone. So is change and acceptance. So is learning from difference. So is making a difference. And just know that there are people fighting for you, for a better world. For love and peace. For equality and acceptance. For everyone. 

“No matter where we come from or the experiences we endure, at the end of the day, we all have blood running through our veins. It doesn't matter if we are human or animal, if we are Asian or American, if we are young or old. We are all the same, yet so beautifully unique. It's our happiness, our pride, our accomplishments, our passions that differentiate us. Not race, gender, or age. And that my friend is what makes the world a beautiful place to live,” said Priya Kanaparti, author of Dracian Legacy.  

Look beyond what you can't find in our words here. 

Look beyond what you don't see in our pictures. 

Look at what really matters. 

If we look at ourselves and look at our own struggles, maybe we do have the ability to see the struggles of others. Maybe, just maybe, we’re all not as different as we think. Or maybe we are different. And maybe that’s incredible. 

Maybe our differences are what make us so alike.

What do you think?

Guest Post by Christopher Waltz: “Out of the Closet and into the Pages: Gay Characters in YA Literature”

Guest Post: “Out of the Closet and into the Pages: Gay Characters in YA Literature” 

by Christopher Waltz 

"When David James asked me to write a guest blog post about diversity in YA lit, not only was I excited and honored, but it also got me thinking. I did internet research, dug through my own collection of Young Adult novels (which is pretty hefty), and had discussions with groups of my friends and fellow writers. We all ended up with the same question: Where are all the gay characters in YA lit? Fans of Young Adult fiction read these stories and witness the inevitable, blossoming love between the main characters. Katniss must choose between Peeta and Gail in The Hunger Games. Bella must choose between Edward and Jacob in The Twilight Saga. Vlad must choose between Meredith and Snow in the lesser-known, but still amazing The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. We hardly (if ever) see characters dating or even acknowledging feelings for other characters of the same sex. Katniss doesn’t unexpectedly fall for Glimmer, the District One tribute. Bella doesn’t start having feelings for one of the female Cullens, such as Alice. Vlad doesn’t wrestle with emotions involving his sworn enemy, Joss the vampire slayer. But why not? One of the many answer to this question, unfortunately, is because it makes people uncomfortable. Over the past few days, I’ve read several articles, from blog posts, to pieces in The New York Times claiming gay characters in YA lit simply just aren’t wanted, and generally make people feel “weird.” Some of these articles even chronicle real-life experiences of authors trying to get their work published, only to be rejected for having gay characters, or at the least, asked to “straighten them out” to reach a broader span of readers. The only thing I could find myself thinking as I read these stories was “What a load of bull!” In fact, I’m still trying to wrap my head around how making all the characters the same (i.e. straight) opens the story up to more readers. In my apparently skewed opinion, having a wider range of characters, with varying sexualities, would inevitably open the story up to a wider audience. And then it hit me. Having gay characters in stories, writing gay characters into stories; it can be tough. Members of the gay community, like most other minorities (and even some majorities) face certain unfavorable stereotypes. One struggle, I would assume, for many authors, is how to organically insert a proud, realistic gay character into their story without creating a “I’m here! I’m queer!” character parading about during the apocalypse. This was something I particularly faced while writing Ivy League. I knew one of my two main characters, Gabe, was gay, I just didn’t know how to say it. I drafted out ideas, considered dropping subtle hints, and came up with countless ways for my readers to know his sexuality without making it the main point of the novel. By the time I’d finished writing, editing, and was getting ready to publish, there was really nothing in the story solidifying Gabe’s sexuality: he was just a normal guy. But that was it. That was what I had been searching for the whole time. Gabe was just a normal guy… who happens to be gay. He didn’t need a huge coming out party. He didn’t need to remind other characters of his sexuality every chapter; it was just a part of who he was. In the end, it may be a long time before we begin seeing Young Adult bestsellers with openly gay characters that haven’t been “straightened out” by the publishers and editors, but like recent events in real life, I feel like big changes are coming, and hopefully one of those changes is acceptance."

Christopher Waltz was born in Indiana in 1987 and promptly began writing once leaving the womb. While this is a complete lie, Christopher did begin writing around age eight at which point he penned and illustrated a sequel to the film "Jumanji." Since that time, Christopher has continued writing and obtained a degree in secondary education from Indiana University's School of Education. He currently works with a non-profit organization and writes. His novel, Ivy League, was recently published.

Book Review: Lauren Oliver's Delirium, Pandemonium, and Requiem

WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW.

In Delirium love is found.

In Pandemonium love is lost, and found again.

In Requiem we see the depth of the world Lauren Oliver created. This: a love song that sometimes is nothing more than a whisper of what you think it should be until you realize the entire time you’ve been listening to love screaming at you so loud it was only pretending to be quiet. We see love between friends, between strangers. Between people who think they are in love but aren’t. Between lovers and parents. Different kinds of loves layer Requiem, so deeply woven together the pieces are sometimes difficult to spot. As it is for so many of Oliver’s characters, sometimes we don’t even see what love is until it’s too late. 

But it’s there. Waiting for the walls to fall, love is there. 

This trilogy has always been about love. In Delirium Lena finds love. In Pandemonium she finds it again, though a different love is lost. In Requiem she resists. Oliver creates a quiet kind of war built on the platform of a louder one - love upon hate, cured upon uncured. She takes the political and very real aspect of a resistance and layers on love until we are left with a war between those who love and those who don’t. Though we get tastes of loudness in Pandemonium and Requiem, Oliver’s is a quiet kind of war where the casualties number even more - because they forget. They love and leave and are gone. And underneath this war Oliver has created between the loveless and the lovers, there is this: Lena and Alex and Julian. First loves, second loves, all tied together as one because love is rarely a simple thing. It’s never so black and white as we make it. And this trilogy focuses on that, how love is not made up of firsts or seconds or even thirds, but just is. 

Love stirs jealousy, envy. Happiness and faith and greatness. Love seems unstoppable, and yet it stops from time to time just to breathe, to change. To mold into something different than what it was. And then it’s back to this: Love is a force of nature, and in this trilogy it is a character just as real as Lena or Alex. Perhaps even more real. 

Still, we must remember that this is Lena’s story. It is about war, but a different kind of fight. At times, like in Pandemonium, we get the feeling that circumstances and other characters are much bigger than they seem, that we are only seeing a tiny picture in this harsh world of forbidden love. But really, isn’t that the point? This is Lena’s story. Her loves, her hates. Her eyes seeing her world. And although we hear Hana’s voice in the end, it still comes down to this: Lena and the loves she has and doesn’t. Her love for Hana and Julian. Her mother. Alex. 

Her beginning. Her end. 

But maybe the beginning isn’t a place where things just start, but a place where things end and begin again differently than before. Like time, love is deprived of boundaries and borders. It is endless in so many ways. Oliver knows this. She writes this. Which is why Delirium begins in Portland and Requiem ends in Portland. 

“Direction, like time, is a general thing, deprived of boundaries and borders. It is an endless process of interpretation and reinterpretation, doubling back and adjusting.”-Requiem 

Some things never change, some always do. Some even change like whispers on the wind so they’re different without even meaning to be. That whisper is what moves the Delirium trilogy along. 

This: a whisper of the hope of love. 

This: a requiem of love. 

This ending is just the beginning. Of life. Of freedom. Of love. 

Of life beyond the walls.

The Fiery Hearts: Young Adult Love

On Monday I had a guest post featured on Literati Literature Lovers blog. As part of their Lovers Month, I decided to write about love but focus my post on the different aspects of young adult love we see so often in books but might not think about. Or, the aspects we brush off as young. I talk about things like the speed at which young lovers fall in love, the desperation they have for each other, their want for love, and, mainly, the idea that young love is more fearless than adult love. 

I focus on the idea that, although we are certainly more mature as we age, we are also more aware of things that make love more difficult. We begin to have baggage, past heartbreaks. We have more and more reasons to say no. The truth is that most of these "adult" things happen without us knowing, without us even meaning to, without any reason at all - but all these adult reasons make us a little more fearful. Cautious.

But see. Young lovers are rarely fearful.

And that's an incredibly good thing.

These days, we often see teens in books fighting for the end of the world, battling paranormal creatures, or something equally extreme - and yet most of them are still willing to fall in love. Most often, love is their reason to fight in the first place. 

For them, love may happen quickly, but for these young characters, love is real. Love is so real it's worth fighting for. 

Really, that's a truly incredibly beautiful thing we're teaching teenagers. I couldn't be more proud to be a part of a community so involved in the advocacy for young love. Perhaps, though, we should all be a little more fearless when it comes to following our hearts.

Check out my full article HERE.

What do you think about young love?