Sam is napping at the moment, so I should be scrambling to get some words down on a freelance job for the SAB. But the next scene I have to write will be of a dejected teen covering up his fear of failure in front of his parents, and it seems like it might be fairly trying, so I'm taking a short break while I decide if this should include just Dad, Mom and Dad, or just Mom.
I have a tendency to create characters with only one parent. In YA Novel the First, actually, all three MCs have two parents, but the constant threat is "Yes, but for how long?" I've heard the theory as to why this--that is, absent parents--is a frequent theme in children's lit: to do with ensuring that the protagonist is independent. Pragmatically, too, a story isn't bogged down by niceties like what is being made for supper, and who's making it, and what these people do for a living and what cars they drive, if they do, et cetera. Still, I feel the need to buck the trend to some degree. I'm a trend bucker.
No I'm not. But "trend bucker" sounds neat.
Actually, in YA MS the Second, we've got a missing parent, haven't we? Yes.
In other news, the longest semester has finally ended. My only class's last meeting was last night, and I think I even passed. The next class begins two weeks from tonight, and I can't wait for it: Adolescent Literatures. Can you stand it? I can't. Is it wrong, by the way, that I am sort of looking forward to the first class (on my birthday, p.s.), when during introductions I can say I'm a YA author? I predict a spit-take. I should remember to buy coffees* for everyone to be sure it
happens.Mom arrives tomorrow afternoon. I plan to make appointments to take Harry to the vet and my car to the shop while the live-in babysitter is in town.
*I tried for quite a while (too long) to find a photo of Julia Louis-Dreyfus doing the spit-take from that '80s SNL skit in which she was a talk-show host a little too fond of coffee and feigned surprise. Couldn't find one. So this photo had to do. No idea what it's from.
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I didn't know what a spit-take was--glad for the illustration!
April 30, 2009 at 12:11 PMThe single parent in children's lit is interesting. I have a single parent too and I haven't thought of it before. It was pragmatic, sure. But I guess I'm no "trend bucker" myself. I'd like to be though.
Hey I just left the comment and then ran into your interview over at Juvenescence!! Great interview!
April 30, 2009 at 12:20 PMLOL! You'll have to let us know what kind of reaction you get!
April 30, 2009 at 1:15 PMThe real trend is orphans or nearly orphans in YA literature. This is so teens can feel independent, I guess. If you want some fun YA parents, read Adam Selzer's book How to Get Suspended and Influence People. Just don't have hippy parents. Hippy grandparents, maybe!
May 5, 2009 at 10:32 AMPost a Comment