Tag: Carrie Jones

Posted in Uncategorized

Monday Musings

Posted on by beckylevine

Here’s what I’m thinking about as the week starts:

1. There will be a pattern to this thing called high school. I just have to wait a bit to see what that pattern is. Really.

2. Guinness Chocolate Cake for my husband’s birthday. Thanks to Janet Rudolph for bringing it to my attention.

3. There is something happening with this new semi-not-really-vegan eating thing I’m doing. And that something actually seems to be healthy and good, even if it makes no sense to my brain.

4. Windsor Castle tea is okay, but when my Yorkshire Breakfast shows up, I’m totally mixing the two together.

5. Escapist fiction has a serious purpose in life–relaxation, fun, getting you and your son and your husband out of YOUR OWN HEADS. See Eric Flint’s 1632 series for clarification.

6. Context and connection is really important when you’re writing history . Otherwise, I have to work really hard to figure out that context and make those connections, and–you know–I just end up falling asleep on the couch. (This is not related to the alternate history of 1632, see item 5.)

7. It’s really fun to say to your teenage son, “Yes, you can have friends over this weekend. I’m open. So, hey, you go schedule it all!”

8. I’m starting to want a kitten. I thought this wasn’t supposed to happen for another four years, to coincide with son’s departure to college. I  blame Carrie Jones.

9. I am not happy with what the clothing stores are telling me I should be wearing these days. It’s almost enough to make me start sewing again. You know, if I didn’t absolutely hate sewing.

10. Five days till the weekend! Have a great week. 🙂

Posted in Uncategorized

Friday Five: Things I Believe to be True about Bullying

Posted on by beckylevine

Prompted by the horrifying story of Phoebe Prince, Carrie Jones and Megan Kelley Hall have started a new Facebook page–Young Adult Authors Against Bullying. Either at this page, or on blogs, or anywhere people feel like they can and should speak out, these authors are inviting people to share stories, feelings, and ideas for change.

I’ve joined the Facebook page, and I’ve been reading blogs. I don’t usually use my blog for this kind of focus, but it’s been getting harder and harder for me to just sit here and read and not do or say something. I’ve been lucky–I haven’t experienced much bullying in my lifetime, and the amount my son lived through, he lived through well (I believe, with our help and the help of some teachers) and has come out stronger on the other side of it. (And, yes, as Carrie said on her blog, he’s read what I’m writing & has given me permission to post this.) Does this mean that the little bit I experienced was acceptable? No. Does that mean it’s a good thing for my son to have experienced any at all, because he survived and survived beautifully? It does not. It’s something he shouldn’t have had in his life, ever, at all.

Here are five things I believe about bullying:

1. Bullying has always been around. The internet has given it another forum, one that, I think, makes it easier for the bullying to stay hidden longer, but this kind of cruelty is not new. All this means to me is that we should have learned better by now how to deal with it.

2. Bullying is one of the hardest things in their lives for a kid to talk about. So guess what? Adults have to start the conversation. Adults have to make sure bullying is defined at home, in schools, on the playground before the bullying starts. And they have to define the consequences for the bullies, then make sure those consequences happen. Visibly.

3. Names do hurt. Sticks and stones hurt, too, but they leave clear marks and wounds that an adult can see and respond to. We have to look a lot harder for the hurt that names cause. We have to.

4. Bullying continues. When a bully  has been successful, when no real consequences have been assigned to their actions, they will keep going. And the worst thing about bullying, the reason it hurts so much, is that it doesn’t stop. The person being bullied does not get a break. Think about erosion, water against stone. It’s exhausting.

5. Adults–parents and teachers–need to lower the bar on what bullying means. Too much bullying is given a milder name–“teasing,” “joking,” when none of it is funny. The word bullying has power today–use it. If you think a child you know is going through this, put the word into action–say it out loud in a phone call, send it via email, and then follow-up. Don’t allow anyone to minimize what’s going on, to tell you there’s nothing to do, to ask you to wait for things to blow over. Just don’t.

I’m not sure what this blog post will do. I’m not sure what any of the blog posts, or the Facebook page, will do, but I think they’re important. Because the worse thing any of us can do is be silent.

Posted in Author Appreciation Week

Author Appreciation Week: Terry Pratchett

Posted on by beckylevine

If you go to the bookstore and ask for directions to the Terry Pratchett books, you’re likely to be sent to at least two, of not more, sections. Some will be in the science-fiction/fantasy world, some will be on the new-book shelves, and some will definitely be in the YA section. Which means that, when you’re shopping for the two or three of his books that your fourteen-year-old son hasn’t read yet, you know to hunt through the whole store.

And that’s why I appreciate Terry Pratchett. Because while I would guess he doesn’t think too much about who he’s writing for, I know that he’s writing for my son.

Okay, and for me. And my husband. All three of us laugh out loud—really loud—at the same passages. And, yes, we all try and do the thick brogue when we imitate Rob Anybody or another of the wee free men. Obviously, I love Pratchett’s comedy and would read his books time and time again if only for the brilliance of his humor.

What I love most about his books, though, is the characters. You could probably, if you tried, describe or summarize any one of them in a few sentences, and you’d hit them on target. What that summary wouldn’t convey, though (and what I’m not sure I’ll be able to), is the subtleties Pratchett weaves into each. Maybe it’s because he’s written so many books, maybe it’s because his characters remain so absolutely true to themselves in all those books. I’m not sure. All I know is that, time and time again, he’ll write a scene, a description, a piece of dialog that just makes me say, “That is so her.” Or him.

My favorite Pratchett books are the ones with the witches. My son likes those, too, but I think his first choices would be the ones with the Watch—Commander Vimes, Sergeant Colon, & Nobby. My all-time favorite character is Granny Weatherwax. I’m not sure why, but it has something to do with the fact that nobody—no matter how magical, or powerful, or strong—can beat her. Why? Simply because she knows they can’t. Granny is funny in her crankiness, in her determination to do & see things one way (her way), in her rivalries with the other witches. At her core, though, is a seriousness, a recognition that the world is hard, that people can and will do others and themselves harm without even trying, and that if nobody else is going to do battle, well, she will. And even if she loses, as long as she tries…she doesn’t lose.

And the amazing thing about Pratchett is that he gets that across at the same exact time as he is writing some of the best sheer entertainment of this and the last century, without missing a beat. Honestly, it’s not that often that I’m laughing till tears come and simultaneously sitting in awe of the sheet beauty of an author’s prose.

Pratchett makes me do that.

And I appreciate it.

A few more posts from other bloggers for you to check out:

And thank you, again, Sara, from Novel Novice for the Author Appreciation avatar!

Posted in Uncategorized

Happy Holidays

Posted on by beckylevine

Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it. Happy Hanukkah to those of you who are already in the middle of it. And a wonderful relaxing time of school and work to everybody!

Here’s what I’m doing today.

  • Getting over my cold
  • Baking a Lemon Sponge Pie and a Chocolate Chip Cheesecake (With four people for Xmas dinner this could be considered overkill, but variety and leftovers are never a bad thing!)
  • Tidying my desk (maybe)
  • Reading Girl, Hero by Carrie Jones and loving it
  • Wrapping one more present
  • Thinking about stocking candy
  • Laundry
  • Relaxing

Here’s what I’m NOT doing

  • Writing (except for my blogs)
  • Worrying about not writing (okay, maybe only a little bit)
  • Nagging at any of you to write (I don’t want your brains to implode)

But, boy do I plan on coming back refreshed, OVER this cold, and ready to dig back in.

How about you?