announcements: the archive
Sheila Ruth writes a long post about the very subject that inspired me to fire up Nerds Heart YA (speaking of, feel free to drop by, join, and suggest books.) Here’s the part that really made my eyes do an awesome impersonation of saucers (trust me, it was rad).
Reading the YA choices fact sheet, I discovered this statement: “A book must have received at least two positive reviews to be included in the collection under consideration.” Aha! We’re back to those same influential review journals. The YA choices book list does not include books selected by teens from a broad range of choices. It includes books selected by teens from a list that was pre-selected by adults!
On one hand, whoa. On the other, well, it’s not really surprising from what I remember as a teen. Wouldn’t want those kids to pick something inappropriate, better vet the books first.
I’m going to reveal my secrets talk about the same thing I’ve been talking about that bothers me about YA lit, which is: if there are 30,000 female/male romances aimed at teen girls, why haven’t YA publishers picked up on the fact that teen girls are reading the hell out of manga like Naruto and not because, oh hai, ninjas! No, YA publishers, let me share a fact with you: as far as I can tell, Naruto is full of pretty boys with angst whom teen girls are slashing (kissing! touching! depending on the type of fangirl, possibly having hot sex!). I look back to what originally pulled me back into reading and fandom in late 2001: Harry Potter, in the form of fanfiction where Harry and Draco were in love (don’t judge me, guys). I can’t be imagining this, right? Well, I know I’m not, I’ve seen too much fanart (apparently, Naruto and Sasuke are in love, but don’t take my word for it).
My problem with Battle of the Books SLJ is hosting isn’t just that all the titles had been covered so much that all the column space which contains reviews for those books could surround the earth five times if lined up, but because once again, GLBTQ persons were erased, invisible. Where the hell are all the books with GLBTQ protagonists in these things? Where are the books—books I read positive reviews of—where a boy has a boyfriend or a girl has a girlfriend. The books where traditional gender roles are challenged? YA lit, you don’t do enough to promote anything that’s not heteronormative and it’s cramping my style. Um, but I love you, baby, don’t leave me. >.>
Anyway, that said, we have eight judges and we’ve started a huge list of books to start compiling our own battle of the books over at Nerds Heart YA, so feel free to come back and become a judge and add some books (even if they have het romance) and become a judge and maybe become a judge? YES? Or if not, pass on the word to people you think might be interested!
Now I will shut up about this for awhile. Maybe.
Apparently I am going through with it as long as I can find enough people to join me (and there better be because at least FOUR PEOPLE are on notice; I know where you live online, guys). Disclaimers: no obligation to take part (except for my puppy dog eyes), no obligation to agree with me about anything, no obligation to think I’m sane because I am definitely not. My brain is convinced I should do this and who am I to disagree!
Reasons to join!
- You can suggest books.
- You can suggest books.
- You can volunteer your expertise in organizing complicated projects!
- You can suggest books.
- You can volunteer to be a judge!
- You can help come up with a better project name.
- Also, you can suggest books.
Feel free to spread the word if you’d like (by which I mean please, please, please, so I don’t feel like a loser). >.>
The way my life works right now is that I work not-quite-full-time-but-damn-does-it-feel-like-it and then I can choose the things I want to do afterward before I have to get nine hours of sleep (my body is so ridiculous). There’s fandom and games and TV and books and for awhile I chose books and tried to maintain a blog like everyone else, but it’s hard. I’m a Livejournal girl (it’s not you, blogosphere, it’s the threaded comments) and I honestly miss writing in fandom and doing ridiculously fun fic exchanges and getting dorky about my newsletter and writing filthy porn. I also want to try my hand at my own manuscript, seeing as how I’m 26 and I’m sure not getting any younger. Renay wants to write novels with boys kissing, universe! Please send her more time.
YA Fabulous will still have all the YA reviews I write. Basically, business as usual with all my nattering about jumping sharks and critical analysis that includes expletives and reviews in one long, Elements-of-Style-be-damned run on sentence, but with less rude commentary and essays about Why Does The World Suck So Much and Refuse To Shape Itself to My Desires (cue cheering). The other difference can be noted by visiting YA Fabulous! itself. The way my site looks now gave me the excuse to do what I’ve wanted to for awhile: combine my feeds. PHP is crazy, guys. So, feel free to choose one (you probably don’t want more than that, even I don’t like me that much):
Truly, this is the best move for me right now, but on the surface for the three (maybe three. maybe) people who read this blog nothing much will change unless you change feeds above (and no one has to! Totally optional!).
So, um, enough with all that. What’s everyone been reading lately?
I am attempting to update wordpress and change my layout. Please excuse the mess I’m making as I have a brawl, featuring me, Cascading Style Sheets, a broken glass bottle and a semi-automatic weapon.
Note: I have the glass bottle.
In the meantime, don’t click any links and see my broke-ass CSS making everything ugly because if you do I’ll cry. HUGE TEARS, GUYS.
I read Skeleton Creek a few weeks ago and was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it (especially the Easter eggs, which were hilariously confusing even though I never quite figured all of them out. This is my review and here are some others:
Congratulations to Patrick Carman on the release day. Good luck out there. :)
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