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renayI am not a fan of papers. I can accomplish them, but I am not subscribed to their newsletter. My favorite part is reading all the sources, which is why I am attracted to writing fiction, possibly—all the fun research and learnings applied to a fictional setting! Look, academia! No citations! No wasted time with me trying to figure out what to say that's likely been said by 50,000 students before me!
Man, I really don't like papers.
I've been futzing around with two manuscript ideas, but they're realistic fiction—and I'm not going to lie, my grasp on teenagers ends at the band geeks. They're totally awesome, but not quite representative. There are other things I am unsure of, like writing plausible high school scenarios, being careful to create characters with privilege who might not see it but also not letting it stand as a valid way of thinking. I don't want to write books that are safe spaces necessarily, but I do want to write responsibly as I know how.
Anyway, I've created a list of dream research books that I want like burning but which are out of my grasp because I don't have a good inter-library loan system—there's the university, but you have to be a student (which is a good reason for me to attempt to go back, har!). Internet, living in the rural South is hard.
1. Dude, You're a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School by C. J. Pascoe: This book has been on my radar for about a year now. The problem with me wanting all these books to read for research purposes is that I'm not really in a place to drop tons of dollars on nonfiction materials (or fiction materials, let's be honest, I am poor broke). Oh, useful inter-library loan system! How I took you for granted when I was in school. This book I wanted specifically because I wonder what the other side was like—I remember my side, but I believe the framing is different because of how gender operates and that boys torture girls differently than other boys for having a sexuality that doesn't conform to the hetero-normative.
2. Word Fugitives: In Pursuit of Wanted Words by Barbara Wallraff: I just wanted it for the cover. I am easy. Sob. I forgot where I heard about this one, though. I think it might have been on one of my podcasts? Maybe A Way With Words (which is awesome and everyone should listen to it).
3. Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex, and Power by Shira Tarrant: Surprise, surprise, I don't know a lot of feminist men. In my offline life, I only know one that actively cares about feminism, and I'm in a long term relationship with him so he better care. XD This perspective is new to me, so I was happy to see this book existed. Must acquire!
Also, as usual I've added fiction to my list which is becoming so unwieldy that I'm quite sure I will eventually have more books on my to-read list than I can possibly ever consume and still you know, function as a member of society. I like reading a lot, but uh, not enough to become a jobless hermit who never leaves her home. I was considering my master list of coveted books the other day and realized that suddenly my library was bursting with some of the titles I have pined for, and I looked at the pile of books in my closest, realized I had only managed to read 39 books this year and went, "I'm screwed."
4. The Line by Teri Hall: Haaa, I totally want this book because it sounds like totally sweet SF/F (from the short summaries I've seen around from people talking about it). The cover makes me think dystopia, but I am often wrong when I make guesses like that. Well, it's fine, I only have to wait until March of next year, ffffff.
5. King of the Screwups by K.L. Going: I think I will blame this one on Kelly, since I had heard for this book before but her review which sold me when she discussed the main character like this:
Lucky for me, my library seems to love this author, so this book won't be coveted for very long. Thanks for the book rec (as well as turning me on to a new author), Kelly! :D
6. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld: Come on, is this not on everyone's radar by now? After the trailer, I was pretty much sold, where before when I heard about the trailer I was kind of skeptical about the whole "Darwinist" thing. I'll reserve judgment there until I read the book, but misrepresentations of Darwin are an excellent way to make me breathe fire. Anyway, my library will totally get this. They have a Big Literary Crush on Westerfeld.
My to-read list is never going to recover.
Man, I really don't like papers.
I've been futzing around with two manuscript ideas, but they're realistic fiction—and I'm not going to lie, my grasp on teenagers ends at the band geeks. They're totally awesome, but not quite representative. There are other things I am unsure of, like writing plausible high school scenarios, being careful to create characters with privilege who might not see it but also not letting it stand as a valid way of thinking. I don't want to write books that are safe spaces necessarily, but I do want to write responsibly as I know how.
Anyway, I've created a list of dream research books that I want like burning but which are out of my grasp because I don't have a good inter-library loan system—there's the university, but you have to be a student (which is a good reason for me to attempt to go back, har!). Internet, living in the rural South is hard.
1. Dude, You're a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School by C. J. Pascoe: This book has been on my radar for about a year now. The problem with me wanting all these books to read for research purposes is that I'm not really in a place to drop tons of dollars on nonfiction materials (or fiction materials, let's be honest, I am poor broke). Oh, useful inter-library loan system! How I took you for granted when I was in school. This book I wanted specifically because I wonder what the other side was like—I remember my side, but I believe the framing is different because of how gender operates and that boys torture girls differently than other boys for having a sexuality that doesn't conform to the hetero-normative.
2. Word Fugitives: In Pursuit of Wanted Words by Barbara Wallraff: I just wanted it for the cover. I am easy. Sob. I forgot where I heard about this one, though. I think it might have been on one of my podcasts? Maybe A Way With Words (which is awesome and everyone should listen to it).
3. Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex, and Power by Shira Tarrant: Surprise, surprise, I don't know a lot of feminist men. In my offline life, I only know one that actively cares about feminism, and I'm in a long term relationship with him so he better care. XD This perspective is new to me, so I was happy to see this book existed. Must acquire!
Also, as usual I've added fiction to my list which is becoming so unwieldy that I'm quite sure I will eventually have more books on my to-read list than I can possibly ever consume and still you know, function as a member of society. I like reading a lot, but uh, not enough to become a jobless hermit who never leaves her home. I was considering my master list of coveted books the other day and realized that suddenly my library was bursting with some of the titles I have pined for, and I looked at the pile of books in my closest, realized I had only managed to read 39 books this year and went, "I'm screwed."
4. The Line by Teri Hall: Haaa, I totally want this book because it sounds like totally sweet SF/F (from the short summaries I've seen around from people talking about it). The cover makes me think dystopia, but I am often wrong when I make guesses like that. Well, it's fine, I only have to wait until March of next year, ffffff.
5. King of the Screwups by K.L. Going: I think I will blame this one on Kelly, since I had heard for this book before but her review which sold me when she discussed the main character like this:
I love it when a main character breaks out of tired old stereotypes.
Lucky for me, my library seems to love this author, so this book won't be coveted for very long. Thanks for the book rec (as well as turning me on to a new author), Kelly! :D
6. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld: Come on, is this not on everyone's radar by now? After the trailer, I was pretty much sold, where before when I heard about the trailer I was kind of skeptical about the whole "Darwinist" thing. I'll reserve judgment there until I read the book, but misrepresentations of Darwin are an excellent way to make me breathe fire. Anyway, my library will totally get this. They have a Big Literary Crush on Westerfeld.
My to-read list is never going to recover.
