subverting the text

I ordered Monsters of Men and it is winging its way to me to enjoy as soon as all my papers and tests are completed. My final paper continues to hobble along, resisting my attempts to bulk up the word count. I have forgotten how to close read, apparently, even though I have been doing it well all semester. Co-worker G traded shifts with me tomorrow, so I have a whole day to slam it and then beg people to edit my mess. I have written bits and pieces of this paper across tons of moods and energy-levels which means it is going to be fantastic mishmash of creative writing styles! I cannot wait.

(...any takers? It's just a Northanger Abbey analysis and a Catherine/Henry ship manifesto! 3000 words






....maybe.)

I can't even think about my lit I exam. I quiver.

Monsters of Men will be the first book I read, but after that, who knows? Oh, the possibilities (suggestions welcome, I am never averse to recs)! Also, I have decided it's 100% necessary for me to write a paranormal gay romance set in a post-apocalyptic US, but not let on it's a gay romance until halfway through the book, which I am sure will endear me to everyone. Do gay paranormal romances even exist outside of say, self-publishing? These are the things I think about when I am stacking tiny mustard packets into a metal container, or bagging up the 87th bag of popcorn for the day.



Spellwright, Blake Charlton: This book was featured in a post for The Big Idea over at Whatever. The post was so bemusing that I decided I had to one day acquire this book and read it just to see how the author manages to pull this off.

Shine: An Anthology of Optimistic SF: There is so much depressing science fiction I have queued up for reading that this stood out when I was catching on my SF Signal backlog. Plus side: I don't know any of the authors.

The Dream of Perpetual Motion: I owe this one to Chris, who posted a review that made me wish I had the book in my hand right then. Also, relevant! I am probably reading The Tempest this summer to prep for my Shakespeare class this summer, so perhaps this can slide in somewhere?



Guardian of the Dead, Karen Healey: This was mentioned in an e-mail I got and I was curious (and horrified to realize, lsdkfjsljkdf I am communicating with someone Really Important. I then entered I Am So Glad I Responded Promptly To E-mail For Once—Oh Wait mode and distracted myself with clicking links. So, the plus side to this is that I found this entry about the book while googling.

...so I mean, after that Bingo Card, I was pretty much sold. I want to make my OWN YA bingo card, although it would be pretty predictable.

Palimpsest, Catherynne M. Valente: I was wandering through Nymeth archives using Google Reader (I refuse to be judged, I am not the only person who does this), trying to find a review of a book I swore she had read (turns out, not so much), and came across this. Now, I think some other people who read this suggested it to me, since it was Valente, but I never pinged on it. Nymeth got me in her review with several details that sound so much like something I would enjoy. I like when books turn me on my head.

Empty, Suzanne Weyn: There is very little information out about this book right now, but okay, I can't resist. It's a weakness of mine to be tempted into books about running out of fuel! Why do I like to imagine worlds where the internet is probably dead? Beats me. It seems very familiar, like I had read about another book with a similar premise but I can't think of the name. It was probably mentioned where I found this title promoted, but the odds of me knowing where that was: slim to none.

I have a sudden craving for Coca Cola cake and a desire to never have to face my inbox which has finally topped 300 messages. All I have to do is survive the next week...then I will reward myself.

I 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:

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.

Seriously, can I ever do this on time? I am pretty sure Dewey would've made fun of me publicly at this point (can you imagine her using Twitter to tease people? And by people I mean me? I sure can.) She was always on time. I am a poor imitation, like the crappy vanilla extract you use because the good stuff is $8 and you spent the last of your shopping money on books and the cheap stuff is all you've got. SOB.



1. The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist: I've been seeing this title crop up everywhere and I wish to subscribe to its newsletter! I think what sold me on this is the summary which says that women over 50 and men over 60 that meet a certain set of criteria go to live in The Unit. My question becomes: is the age difference explained, because I am suspicious.

2. The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi: I really liked the one short story by this author I read, The People of Sand and Slag. It was disturbing, but good, so I am interested in his longer work, and I am simply not equipped to resist the cover of the book. It was so much character. Here is a bigger version of the cover art. I would like to read the short stories that come before this book, though.

3. Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund: It was Kristi who finally convinced me to take another look at this book. I was really confused; I didn't realize it was SF until I read her review, because I kept seeing the cover and assuming that it was something else, which I will not speak of here. I don't know, a story where a boy is better than a girl at talking, but the same girl can probably kick his ass afterward? I'll take it! Sudden realization that is not really a realization: I really like books where the couples beat the shit out of each other and then make out! This doesn't just apply to male/male pairings! HET PAIRINGS, YOU ARE IN. Congrats!



4. The Girl With Glass Feet by Ali Shaw: I don't know who posted about this. It was someone, but I can't figure out who. This story idea really reminded me of one of the stories I read in one of Valente's In the Night Garden books. A girl is turning into glass from the feet up, so she ventures to find a cure, but meets a man (probably surly) and there's sparks and love and what have you. Something about this premise bugs me! I swear I've something similar elsewhere.

5. Liar by Justine Larbalestier: I will be upfront! My addition of this book to my wishlist isn't because I've read much work by Larbalestier (I did read How To Ditch Your Fairy and liked it! I should read it again.), but because of this link Catherine shared with me about the potential white-washing going on. I am pretty curious (and also I love unreliable narrators).

6. The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott: I looked at this cover and thought of Perfect You and I squealed because loved that story. I will not even kid around, I really love Scott's work, you know, even when I have quibbles with some of the tidbits in her books (otherwise known as Renay is a Skeptic and Ruins Everyone's Fun). The summary they have out for this one isn't great, so I won't bother, but extrapolating from the cover and imagining what it could be about is half the fun. *flail*

So, ff_exchange is rolling right along and I already have a to-do list for it, I have two more days of work, and I am about eight reviews behind. What better use of my time is there than coveting some books!



1. The Sky Always Hears Me and the Hills Don't Mind by Kirstin Cronn-Mills:

Sixteen-year-old Morgan lives in a hick town. Her mom was killed in a car accident when she was two, her dad drinks, and her stepmom is a non-entity. Her boyfriend Derek is boring and she can't stop staring at her coworker Rob's cute butt. Then there's the kiss she shared with her neighbor Tessa . . . But when Morgan discovers a devastating secret about the one person she completely trusted, her entire world crashes and she must redefine her life and herself.

Hahahaha! Girls kissing. Yes please.

2. Fat Cat by Robin Brande: Becky reviewed this one and it sounded really interesting, although when I read books about weight, well...it doesn't always end so well. Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen annoyed me, Looks by Madeleine George was an exercise in me keeping my temper, so who knows what this will be like! I read Brande's other book, Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature, which was good except for some cardboard villains. The science part, though! I'll take it.

3. A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker: Let me explain! A long time ago, I read a Sweet Valley Twins book called The Middle School Gets Married. I was obsessed with that book for months, totally fascinated by the idea of pretend marriage and eggs! I think I actually tried to care for an egg, too, because I was a really weird kid. I saw this cover, and I was immediately reminded of that book, so seriously, I just want to read this because it reminded me of that ridiculous SVT book where Jessica and Rick fought constantly and Elizabeth gets paired with Bruce and he turns into sensitive guy who lectures people about their iron consumption.



4. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen: Well, geez, it's Sarah Dessen. I will be reading this no matter what! Also, a night owl. Safe to say I will have something in common with the main character.

5. How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford: Beatrice moves to a new town and befriends a quiet boy. New girl, shy kid with secrets. Mostly I am reading it for the title?

6. The Secret Life of Words: How English Became English by Henry Hitchings: Oh, I am a nerd! I am noodling on a manuscript about a boy who likes words, a former spelling bee champion with, um, secrets? There are a lot of books about words and language out there, but, predictably, just liked the cover. >.> It's becoming more and more apparent that I am a cover girl. Pretty covers mean I will be probably be more likely to go, "oooh!" Poor books with plain covers. ;_;

I blame my server being down and the newsletter and perhaps Bambi fanvids for not getting this done Saturday night. Then, of course, I worked all day. Happy Memorial Day to me. Time and a half, thank you very much $dayjob for letting me shake down your wallet with my eight hour shift. It'll be like a 37 hour week! Treadmill, here I come. Then last night I literally passed out with my laptop talking to owlmoose, so maybe my body was trying to tell me something. For instance, "get more sleep!" Regardless, I added a crap top of books to my reading list this week! Now I'm going to talk about them at length and bore the internets.

This is why my to-be-read list never gets smaller. I can add them faster than I read them.



1. Voices by Ursula Le Guin: I have never read any of Le Guin's work even though I have been prodded to do so. However, Powers was a Nebula winner and I traced it back to the first book published and thought it sounded interesting. I don't believe the books are connected as sequels, but instead build upon the same world. I could be wrong, but I liked the sound of this one, so I guess I'm giving it a whirl (after my library acquires it; they have Gifts but not this one, ha ha).

Would it be wrong to walk into the library and ask them if I could just have a supply of those little suggestion pads?

2. Fire by Kristin Cashore: I loved Graceling. I loved it so much I'm reading it again and highlighting all my favorite parts. I love it so much I'm writing nerdy fanfiction for it. I do not understand why The Hunger Games came out as the clear winner of most readable YA SF/F last year, except how I do know and the answer is more than one hot guy. Hush, internets! Do not attempt to tell me I'm wrong. The Hunger Games had two awesome love interests, Graceling only had one, that's twice the sexy times action, so give it up now. I'm no fool! You cannot trick me; I've seen the wreckage behind Twilight's shambling over the sexuality of teen girls (and possibly teen guys, if they are like me and want an alternate world where Edward and Jacob make out) everywhere.

Fire is a prequel and sounds interesting, but I want Bitterblue, the third book, more. *suffers*

3. Nation by Terry Pratchett: Pinning this one on Nymeth. I wasn't going to read it, despite it getting a Printz honor, but her review convinced me that I needed to give it a shot. I've read two Pratchett titles: The Wee Free Men, which I loved while reading it, but grew sour second-guessing myself after finishing it, and Good Omens, which was lovely but went over my head. I'm such a conceited American who doesn't get British references. We'll see how this one goes!



4. Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock: I read Dairy Queen and felt so-so about this series, then read Off Season and fell in love with DJ. Gosh, I want more female protagonists like her, she's so refreshing, even if I do get tired of how bone-headed and uncommunicative her family is. This is the last book in what I figure will be a trilogy? I have really high hopes, and none of them involve Brian Nelson. >|

5. North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley: I forget why I wanted to read this! I believe it's because the author has been recced...a lot. I've never read any of her work, so this is probably why I added this title.

6. Waiting for Normal by Leslie Conner: ...someone said this could have been a Newbery contender last year (it wasn't) and I lost track of it and now I've found it again! Ahoy. Really, could anything have competed with last year's Newbery winners? It's not like Gaiman's The Graveyard Book was a literary behemoth or anythi—wait.



7. Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher: It's Becky's fault.

8. What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell: Easy: National Book Award winner, and a mystery of sorts? I've heard mixed reviews about this title, but I really like the cover (atmosphere!) and I picked it up in B&N to read a little and it was good, so hey. I'll give it a shot. I am nervous about the war aspect, because no war fiction has really worked for me since The Book Thief. *shakes fist as Markus Zusak*

9. Debbie Harry Sings in French by Meagan Brothers: This is one of our Nerds Heart YA titles. spindizzy and I are co-reviewing and this is one of the titles that's in our tier, so there's a good chance I might have to read it, anyway. Plus, straight boy who likes drag. I'm there!



10. The Dawning of Power by Brian Rathbone: I can't decide whether this title sounds the same as any other fantasy title out there. Girl with powers she wasn't aware of, leaves home to learn how to use them, drama drama drama. I added it because it could be interesting, although I'm keeping my expectations set to "yet another generic fantasy novel". I think I'm trying to fill the void in anticipation for Republic of Thieves (no offense, Brian Rathbone).

11. Genesis by Bernard Beckett:

Anax, the dedicated student historian at the center of Beckett's brutal dystopian novel, lives far in the future—the distant past events of the 21st century are taught in classrooms. The world of that era, we learn, was ravaged by plague and decay, the legacy of the Last War. Only the island Republic, situated near the bottom of the globe, remained stable and ordered, but at the cost of personal freedom.

Sold.

12. Ash by Malinda Lo: Guys, it's a fucking lesbian retelling of Cinderella. I am all over this and want it yesterday. Is it September yet?


Also, it's time for me to alert the world that Merlin debuts on NBC Sunday, June 21st at 8/7c. What this means is that I will miss it because I have to work so everyone else who is able must watch it and keep the ratings high so they will continue to bug for new episodes and the actors will keep their jobs and I will have plenty of awesome Merlin/Arthur fanfic to read into the considerable future. Okay, I'm glad we're on the same page of "it's all about Renay". Awesome!