Author Highlight: Amanda Hocking

Usually when I highlight an author, I have read several books by him/her. Not this time. I heard about Amanda Hocking's story a few weeks ago. And its a pretty awesome story. You can learn more about her from her blog here. She has self published several books through Amazon Kindle. She has been wildly successful. Its not only her success that led me to write this post about her though. Last night, I read her book Hollowland. I stayed up way too late to finish reading it, so that was a clear indication of its worth.

Amanda Hocking tells a great story. Her characters are interesting, and I care about what happens to them. I am excited to read more of her books. If you enjoy young adult fantasy, you will enjoy Amanda Hocking's books.

Purple Cow by Seth Godin

The real truth about this post: I am not done with this book. In fact, I've only made it to page 25. It's an interesting book, and I like what Godin has to say so far. I am excited to read the rest, but I am personally frustrated with Godin. Here's why: he completely ignored a big part of this book's information when he wrote the last book of his that I reviewed: Stop Stealing Dreams. He is talking about innovators and early adopters and how to hook them and bring them on board with products. I can tell that he understands this when it comes to business and products. He just missed the entire point when he switched to writing about education. You see, when it comes to education most of the innovators and early adopters are homeschoolers. And in his book about education, Seth Godin marginalizes homeschoolers. He ignores their strengths and the fact that most homeschoolers are actively looking for options when it comes to education and repeatedly pushes them aside by suggesting that homeschooling is impractical. Yet, the only people who are in a position to make the changes he outlines in his book right now are homeschoolers. We have already opted out of a system that makes change frustratingly slow. Homeschoolers are the exactly the people that, according to his book Purple Cow, Seth Godin should be embracing and connecting with when it comes to education. His ideas about the place and purpose of libraries in the future lines up with another book called Instead of Education by John Holt, a homeschooling proponent. I would guess its unlikely that Seth Godin knows about this book that was originally published in 1976 because it was written for homeschoolers and like minded individuals at the time that were looking for alternatives to traditional schooling. And yet, Holt's book talks about the future of libraries in much the same way Godin does.

Homeschoolers are so invested in education that they regularly read about it, go to classes to help them improve their teaching, and pay for educational supplies. When a new idea or way of approaching education comes along, homeschoolers are in the unique position of being able to try it out quickly. We often approach teaching as coaches, seeking out resources and the best of the educational options for our children. We are informed about education. All of these things signal that we are the innovators and early adopters that Godin's book Purple Cow suggests should be found and encouraged when starting something new. And yet, Godin uses his book on education to point out what he sees as the reasons why he isn't talking to homeschoolers at all. I think he missed the boat.

With that said, I would recommend both of these books to friends, family, and anyone else. They are both full of information that can be helpful and interesting.

Stop Stealing Dreams by Seth Godin

There are few things that I enjoy more than free books. So when I heard that Seth Godin was offering his book free, I checked it out right away. His book is written as a series of essays, and he says right at the beginning that part of his intention is to get people talking about education. I liked most of what he had to say. His perspective on comparing our test scores to other countries has definitely changed how I react when I hear that the United States is behind other countries on test scores. As a homeschooling mom, I have thought a lot about education and what it should look like. I have done a lot of reading about education and come to my own conclusions about what the aim of my children's education should be. A number of my thoughts line up with things that Seth Godin has to say, but I also found some of his thoughts to be new ones.

I think that Seth Godin has a curious blind spot about homeschooling for a person so interested in innovating education. He states several times that a homeschooling parent will make mistakes that a seasoned teacher will be able to avoid, but he ignores the fact that a homeschooling parent is more seasoned than many teachers by the time they have a child for ten or fifteen years. All teachers have to start somewhere, and in public school you don't always have a choice if you have a first year teacher. Seth Godin posits that teachers need to fill a coaching role, locating resources and getting students interested. Who is more energetic and creative in finding resources and getting kids interested in learning than their own concerned, invested parent? In fact, homeschooling is the only place that I know of that many of the creative ideas in this book are being put into action right now. As a homeschooling parent, I can get started immediately on changing my child's education. I realize that Seth Godin is hoping to energize a revolution in the school system, but I think he is hurting his cause by marginalizing the homeschool option. Even though I don't agree with Godin about all his ideas, I got a lot out of his book and I highly recommend it.

You should read this book. People that care about children, are part of the education system, or help pay for our education system should read Stop Stealing Dreams and start talking about education.

Poetry Bee: Rekindling the Lost Art of Recitation

When I was a young girl, I fell in love with poetry. I read it quite a bit, and I wrote some of my own poetry. I didn't memorize poems myself, but I was in awe of those that did. I remember reading books in which the characters memorized quite long poems and wishing that this practice still existed. I knew a few people that had memorized poetry, but they were the minority.

Earlier this year our family joined a poetry club as part of our homeschooling experience. I have seen my children grow and make connections through memorizing poems and reciting them. I have been privileged to learn and memorize poetry along with my children. We have begun to recognize specific poets in other venues, and we have learned a lot of new vocabulary. The biggest benefit of poetry in their lives has been somewhat intangible. My children and I "own" these poems because they have become a part of us. This wonderful benefit is not a part of most modern curriculum, but it can be. The book Poetry Bee: Rekindling the Lost Art of Recitation lays out a plan for setting up a memorization group in your school, homeschool, community, or home. It also has a great collection of poems to enjoy reading or memorizing. I recommend this book to all parents, teachers, and other people interested in poetry.

The Night Circus

I recently read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I had been hearing about this book from several places, but wasn't really sure what to expect. It was a delightful read, with a unique magic system and intriguing twists. The night circus is more than just a circus, it is a venue for a contest between those that can really perform magic. This book is part love story, part tragedy, and part fantastic magic.

I look forward to more books by Morgenstern, because she has crafted this book beautifully. If you enjoy fantasy based on tweaking the rules of our world you will love this book. If you enjoy love stories, especially those with complexity, you will want to read The Night Circus.

NaNoWriMo 2011 Update 3

I'm behind, but I am still writing. I am still spending about the same amount of time each day on writing, and my actual number of words written is slowing down. But...I have still written more this month than I normally write. I can actually see this book coming together and becoming what I want it to be. I am very excited about how the book is coming together. Because this is a nonfiction project I am having to slow down to make some decisions and do some research. My word count is 30000 which puts me about a day and a half behind where I should be on my word count.

NaNoWriMo 2011 Update 2

It's another week. I didn't do quite as well this week at staying on top of my writing. Earlier this week, I was starting to think maybe I didn't have as much to say on my topic as I originally thought. However, with effort and a fair amount of slogging through the writing process, I was able to end Sunday the 13th of November with 21,674 words. The end goal for the 13th day of the month is 21,671 words so I have three extra words. I am ecstatic! I am actually doing it, and I made it through the first slump. I even have a plan for tomorrow...

NaNoWriMo 2011 Update 1

Last night I finished the day with 12,053 words written so far on my book this month. I feel like it is going quite well. The official goal for the day was 11,669 so I am actually ahead. I have been trying to get a bit ahead because I am concerned about getting much writing done Thanksgiving weekend. We are spending the weekend with family and I will be surprised if I get to do any serious writing. Just checking in to update, now back to writing...

NaNoWriMo 2011

  It's November, and that means National Novel Writing Month has come again. This year I am working on a nonfiction project. I really think that I can reach my 50,000 word goal this year because I have been thinking about this idea for a while now, although I hadn't written a word on it until yesterday. This is day 2 and I have reached a word count of 4,009. The daily goal if you write daily and plan to achieve 50,000 words is 1,667 words. I realized that because of Thanksgiving and family time, I have to get a bit ahead of that number if I am going to make it. So, I hope to reach 2,000 words a day for the first week. So far, so good. Yeah, me!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

This is Ransom Riggs first novel, and I can't wait to see what other fiction he will write in the future. This book is a strange mix of history and fairy story, but it works. The story begins with a boy disillusioned with his grandfather's childhood stories. After his grandfather's death, Jacob sees something that disturbs him and makes him wonder if his grandfather's stories were actually real. Jacob and his father travel to Europe to uncover the truth.

What I really, really loved about this book: the photographs. Most are the beginnings of trick photography, woven into this tale. I also enjoyed the weaving of history and fairy story. It was an enchanting, grown up fairy story. Also, the father to son to grandson relationships were complex and intriguing.

You will like this book if you enjoy fairy stories or fantasy. It is also a great read for those who enjoy something unique in fiction, and the book would be great for discussion groups. The parallels between World War II Nazis and monsters, refugees and Peculiar Children will make for some interesting discussions.

Ruby Red

The other day I was browsing in the teen stacks at our library and came upon this gorgeous book by Kerstin Gier. The cover is a deep red with silver filigree and has ruby jewels on the front. I definitely judged this book by its cover, and I quickly read the synopsis. A young girl has a time travel gene, but her mother lied about her birthday to conceal this fact from the family. I checked out the book, abandoned my other current reads, and delved in. I loved it. The story was moving along, and it was great. About three quarters of the way through the book, I realized that there was no way the book was long enough to answer all my questions. Sadly, this book is part of a trilogy. Not only that, but it is a translated copy. Kerstin Gier writes in German. Because I really enjoyed the first book, I hope to see the next two books in the trilogy translated soon.

This book is for anyone who enjoys fantasy or history; it is an interesting combination of the two. Women and girls will probably enjoy this book most, as there is a strong female protagonist. The book is directed towards a teen audience, but other age groups will also enjoy the book. This book is worthy of its cover.

Update on Game of Thrones

I have made it through the rest of George R.R. Martin's books that belong in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. I quite enjoyed the first couple, but then my enjoyment began to decrease. This often happens with the middle books of a series. I like to call them "bridge books" because they tend to have necessary plot and character development without tying up many loose ends. Since the series is not complete (two more books are currently scheduled for the future on George R. R. Martin's website) this makes the last three books currently available middle books for the entire series.

After some pondering, I realized that the fact that these books were middle books wasn't the only frustration I was having with the books. I like my books to generally work out for characters. I don't enjoy investing in a character and then having that character die. Martin clearly has no qualms about killing off characters, as well as thwarting them in ways that seem impossible to reverse. I am not saying I never read or enjoy books in which main characters die, because that isn't true. But I felt that these books were brutal. The books also deal with a lot of darker issues of humanity, and I just don't find that as enjoyable as other books. Will I read the rest of the series? Yes. I think I will. Will I stay up and have an all night read session? No, probably not.

Many people will enjoy these books. They are well written, epic fantasy. The characters are developed and seem real. The story is fascinating, and Martin's writing moves along quickly even though the books are large. If you enjoy epic fantasy, and aren't put off by the idea of you favorite characters failing, you will want to read these books.

A Game of Thrones

George R. R. Martin is releasing a new book in his series A Song of Fire and Ice. A Game of Thrones is the first book in the series, and is currently an HBO series as well. I haven't seen the series, although I have heard good things about it. The book is a long one and is a very compelling read. I enjoyed it and have begun reading the second book.

This book has interesting characters, a good story line and a unique world. If you like fantasy, especially epic fantasy, this book will be a great read for you. These books are long, making them perfect for summer traveling which may include a lot of waiting. If you enjoy fantasy you should check out A Game of Thrones.

Little Britches

If you haven't read Little Britches, you are missing out. It is a great story about a family weathering hard times together. The family works together and they all work hard. The parents tried to teach their children right from wrong mostly by example, but they would use well-placed words on occasion as well.

This is a passage that really touched me:
"Any man who says the world owes him a living is dishonest. The same God that made you and me made this earth. And He planned it so that it would yield every single thing that the people on it need. But He was careful to plan it so that it would only yield up its wealth in exchange for the labor of man. Any man who tries to share in that wealth without contributing the work of his brain or his hands is dishonest."

There are several books in this series by Ralph Moody, but they all start with Little Britches. This book is a great read for everyone. Families can also enjoy it together as a read aloud.

Classics Teach Us About What it Means to Be Human

Classics endure for several reasons, but one of the big ones is that they are so real, so true that they expose human nature. Classics are fairly universal books that appeal to many different people over the course of generations.

If you want to understand what it means to be human, you can find the answer in a classic book. If there is a perspective you are having difficulty identifying with, there is probably a classic book that can lend you the perspective you desire. How would you handle war, famine, other hardships? If you prefer to find out without having the actual experience, a classic can help you have that vicarious experience. Classics allow us to view the broad range of human experience and perspectives. The more classics we read, the better we understand humanity.

Classics also grapple with the big questions of life. What is the point of it all? What does it mean to be a good person? How do my choices affect others? Classics have dealt with these questions and more. Classics don't always come up with solid right or wrong answers, sometimes they just explore the issues and leave the choices up to the reader. They do offer expanded perspective of these big questions, though.

If you have occasionally wanted to pick up a classic but avoided it for some reason, decide today to enrich your life by getting started. Classics are amazing!

Quote by Allan Bloom

"The failure to read good books both enfeebles the vision and strengthens our most fatal tendency --the belief that the here and now is all there is."
--Allan Bloom

Allan Bloom actually had a lot to say about reading and books. Most of what he said was pretty great too. Go read a great book because you wouldn't want your vision enfeebled. Also, so you can realize that the past has significance for all of us.

If you aren't reading good books, you are missing out on so many of the great lessons they offer. Learning from mistakes is much easier when they happen in a story.

Kindle

Best Mothers Day Present Ever. I got a kindle. I am very excited about my new toy, and have been busy downloaded free books and checking out samples of books.

Thats all for today folks. My kindle is calling my name...

Self-Publishing in Stilettos: A Woman's Guide to Publishing With Confidence

This book by Cinnamon McCann about self-publishing is packed with information on how to publish your writing. The author takes you from the beginning of the process to the end, with details about each option. My
absolute favorite thing about this book: the author doesn't let her personal bias color each option. I have read quite a few writing and publishing books, and many of them clearly feel that certain choices are less worthy than others. This book just tells you the options, and includes pros and cons of each plan.

With all of the information, resources, and checklists in this book, you will have the tools you need to self publish. It is the best book I have come across on the subject. Pick up this book if you are interested in self publishing.

I was given this book for free to review. I attempt to review each book without regard to whether I purchased, borrowed, or was given the book.

Books Finished April 2011

5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter by Vicki Courtney
Cursor's Fury by Jim Butcher
Dance With Them by Kathryn Lynard Soper
First Lord's Fury by Jim Butcher
FreedomShift by Oliver Demille
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Keep Chickens! by Barbara Kilarski
Matched by Allie Condie
Mr. Monster by Dan Wells
Princeps Fury by Jim Butcher
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
Schooled by Gordon Korman
Shadowheart by Tad Williams
The Homeschool Journey by Susan and Michael Card
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner


*These are books that I have finished reading. This list does not include books that I have skimmed. The list does not include picture books that I have read to my children, nor does it show all the other reading I have done. These books were finished in this month, but some may have taken considerable time to read, bit by bit

Time Travel!

Time travel is possible through books. How else can you experience what it was like to fight in the Civil War, cross the ocean with the Mayflower, or sign the Constitution?

One of my favorite people is John Adams. I have traveled with him to France and watched him help found our country. I have seen his parenting style and read over his shoulder as he read letters from his loving wife. All of this was made possible through books. I have been inspired by this awesome man, and his life. He wasn't perfect, but for me that makes him more endearing. (I certainly didn't learn all these things from a class at school. I learned little more than his name and the fact that he was a Founding Father there.)

I think this aspect of reading is why so many books have time travel in them. Avid readers don't have to suspend reality too much to believe in time travel. After all, they experience it for themselves almost every time they open a book.