I am frequently amazed at the generosity of writers and how many of them do things that go above and beyond in order to help or encourage other writers.  Yesterday, I was particularly inspired by a few fellow bloggers (Elana Johnson, Casey McCormick, and Co.) who have organized WriteOnCon, a virtual writing conference that will take place in August.  Unfortunately I will be out of the country at the time and most likely will be sans email.  I’m sad to miss it because I know this conference will be wonderful.  And what a great idea to do it on the web so that anyone can participate.  Kudos!

WriteOnCon got me thinking about this idea of giving back to the writing community, especially now that I have graduated from my MFA.  This idea inspired me to post about a few writing projects and events I’m helping put together.

Verbal Pyrotechnics:  This literary magazine will launch at the end of 2010 but this summer we officially open for submissions.  We’re looking for emerging and established authors with a unique voice who write for the teen audience.  Visit the Verbal Pyrotechnics blog for more details and submission guidelines.

Get Your Read On:  This reading series is sponsored by Verbal Pyrotechnics, and will resume this summer.  More information coming soon.

There’s a third project too, but that’s the subject of another post.  So check back tomorrow to learn more!

At BEA I got my hands on an advance copy of Girl Parts by John M. Cusick which I finished reading this weekend.

Premise:
The premise is interesting: two boys who are on opposite ends of the popularity spectrum end up having their lives intersect because of a robotic companion named Rose.  David is popular and wealthy while Charlie’s family is “off the grid” both literally and not.  Although Rose starts out as David’s companion (prescribed by the school psychologist as a cure for “dissociative disorder”) an unexpected discovery forces her to turn to Charlie for friendship.

The basic idea of the story is fun (it reminded me a little of the movie Weird Science), but this isn’t just a story about a robotic sex doll come to life.  Cusick turns that idea on its head with Rose giving David an electric shock every time his behavior does not comply with her Intimacy Clock.

My Take:
The book is very funny and entertaining, though the execution feels a little bit disjointed.  While the first half focuses primarily on David, Charlie essentially dominates the second half.  I expected, however, that a story about two such opposites would somehow show them interacting a bit more.  While their lives do intersect throughout the story, it tends to be in rather peripheral ways.  This means that the thread that holds the story together is the robotic companion, Rose.

In particular, I feel David’s character is a bit more flat and static than Charlie’s, which means that the first part of the book is not nearly as engrossing as the second.  While David’s character changes little, if at all, throughout the novel, Charlie does change.  For this reason, once the story shifts to Charlie, however, the plot picks up dramatically.  In addition, because Rose’s character becomes less robotic and more human as the book progresses, the relationship between Rose and Charlie is far more complex and interesting than her relationship with David.  By the time she meets Charlie, Rose’s character has also started to grow and change.

That said, one of the early chapters where Charlie goes on a first-date-from-hell is laugh-out-loud hilarious.  Also, I encourage readers to stick through the David chapters because the pay-off once Rose meets Charlie is worth the wait.

A Note on Craft:
In addition to the Charlie chapters being very satisfying to read, this book is an excellent example in terms of craft, in particluar Point of View.  These days it’s rare to find a contemporary teen book written in omniscient POV, as this one is.  You can find it in middle grade novels, like DiCamillo’s The Tale of Despereaux or the Lemony Snicket books, though these examples differ from Girl Parts in that they have a strong narratorial presence.  Cusick’s choice of POV, on the other hand, is more akin to Eva Ibbotson’s style where the narrator is virtually invisible and slips in and out of each character’s viewpoint so seamlessly, you hardly notice it.  Overall, both because of the Charlie chapters and the POV aspect of craft, this book is definitely worth the read.

This weekend, the Story A Day community is celebrating StoryFest.  Come check out some of the stories written during the Story A Day challenge.

I’d also like to extend major kudos to all the writers who completed a story a day.  Write on!

I recently learned about a Fit ‘N’ Healthy Challenge taking place this month and I’ve decided to join.  Now that my MFA program is behind me, I have no more opportunity for excuses not to get some exercise.

Sports have not been particularly kind to me these last few months.  Between a sprained ankle last fall and a nasty case of golfer’s elbow this spring (and I don’t even golf!) , it seemed almost like every time I started getting excited about exercise I’d get hit with an injury.  Now at last I feel like I’m back to normal and can get involved in some fun sporty stuff.

This challenge to get in shape and eat better isn’t just about being healthy, it’s about writing too.  As my friend, Missy, wisely said to me: “gabi, if you feel better, you’ll write better too.”  And I think there’s something to that.