Horrifying.

I had to read a scene aloud from a published novel for a writing class I took a few years ago.  I can't remember why.

What I do remember was that the scene I chose had the word "Poseidon" in it four times.  I didn't know quite what it meant, and it didn't seem to matter much in context.  It was some olden literature reference, I imagined.   Or maybe some pop culture reference from the 60s.

All four times, I pronounced the word which didn't matter to me in a rushed way that breaks down as "poize-eye-DON."   

Recently, I saw "Poseidon" in print again and realized right off that it was a word I do know well enough.  Poseidon!  Of course!  The same word that had eluded me that one time I was reading aloud to a room full of people!

No one in the class could see what I was reading and follow along, so I'm not even sure if they realized what the word was supposed to be.  But every single time I think of that day now (which is more often than you'd expect), I get this embarrassed-beyond-belief naseated feeling. 

Lists.

I was going to be all fancy and link to That One List that's been making the rounds for ages now about "25 Things That Are Overused in YA."  But I had a computer issue which was super annoying and had to reboot and my draft was lost and you all know the list I mean anyway so I don't really need to link to it here anyway, right?  That's what I thought!

The number one thing on That One List is lists!  By which, I assume is meant the device where one has an underlined caption in the midst of the narrative like:  Things I Love About Bobby.  Then, underneath, there is a numbered or bullet-point selection of words and phrases.  

But what about lists as motivators for a character?  Like, if a character happens to be in a class (for example) where s/he has to make a list of things s/he finds uncomfortable, and is then challenged to complete those things?  So, the story is whatever it is the story is about, and the list would be one of the things pushing the character to act.  It would (maybe) keep the momentum going for the duration.  Is that overdone in YA?  (If not, is it about to be overdone in my writing?  Gah!)

See, the reason I ask is because I did that very thing in TFM.  Three of the characters were in a class together where the Challenge List was an ongoing project.  One of the characters took it pretty seriously, but two of the others mostly used it to dare each other to do stuff.  "Don't you want to be able to cross something off your list?"  In the end, it wasn't because of The List that the MC was able to meet his Goal, but The List did help get him there in a round-about way.  The thing is, I didn't arrange it in a way for keeping momentum going.  It was more of a joke between the characters that popped up every so often.

This morning, I was doing my pondering for JK&Elle (or whatever it's going to be called).  I was trying to put some kind of ticking clock on Kae's trying-to-act-like-a-teenager element of the story, and considered having another character or situation prompt her to make a list.  Like, 18 Things To Do Before I Turn 18 or 30 Things in 30 Days.  Something like that.  The story would be about all the stuff it's already about (teenage girl trying to solve the mystery of lying husband guy and an unexpected visit from her cool brother-in-law), but it would have this list stuff going on parallel and tying in with everything to drive things forward on her personal enrichment journey.  

It sounded sort of good to me, but then I was like, But, I kind of already did that with TFM.  Wouldn't it be cannibalization (not to mention redundant!) to use something similar to what I've used before?  And then I thought, Hey!  Maybe TFM would have been better (and hookier) if I'd played up that following-the-list element in the story and used it less haphazardly?  Oh!  And maybe I still have the chance to make it better if I revise that into it!  

So, I'm not really sure what to do.  I feel like my List has the potential to make either of the stories better.  But I don't think I should have it in JK&Elle unless TFM really is stick-a-fork-in-it-dead.  Which, I hope it isn't.  But it might be.  And I don't think I'm in a place to revise TFM right now anyway.  Call me lazy, but I already revised that sucker a whole bunch of times, and I'm just not ready to do it again without guidance.   But this does feel like the best idea for JK&Elle so far.  And maybe since I'm building this one from the ground up, it would be better than trying to work it into TFM?  (Or is that just the blasted laziness/weariness talking?)

N&N again.

I just reread NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST. For how much I go on about it, you may be surprised that this was only my second read.

I still adore Nick more than I have ever adored a teenage boy -- fictional or otherwise.  (Okay, kidding about the "otherwise" part.  I'm sure I adored certain real-life teenage boys even more.  Back when I was a teenager, I mean.)

I still loathe Norah for the first half of the book and resent her taking away my Nick time.  But then I grudgingly grow to like her before it's all over.

I am still convinced that Michael Cera cannot possibly be my Nick! 

And yet, I know that I'll see the movie.  BECAUSE I WON'T BE ABLE TO STOP MYSELF.

TWILIGHT. It's all been said before.

I am not capable of writing a review, and besides, it's all been said before elsewhere and better.  But I do want to document this because I can't stop analyzing and feeling utterly confused and on the outside of things.  

So, yeah.  I finished reading TWILIGHT last night for the first time.  The first book in the series.  I wanted to like it.  Even though I've read many, many criticisms, I still half-expected to like it.  I think it's because every time I see some sort of online survey with the question: "Which fictional character do you lust for/have a crush on/want to shag?" everyone says, "Edward Cullen!!!!!!!"  I fully expected to fall desperately in love with Edward and then we would run away together or something.

But, no.  I didn't like the story, the writing*, or the protagonist.  And I didn't lust for Edward.  At all.  I mean, I liked him better than Bella (how could I not?), but I didn't find him to be anyone special.  I would never put him on my Fictional Character To Shag list.

It really is a strange thing.  Like, hey, Angel fans!  Remember how in season 4, everyone was mesmorized by Jasmine and adored her absolutely?  But when they came in contact with her blood, they could see her for what she really was?  That's how I feel about TWILIGHT.   Except that I never even got a chance to love TWILIGHT because somehow its blood touched me immediately. Others, so many others, are seeing a beauty that I never got to see.

Anyway, I'm a million years behind the times, I know.  And I'm being weird and somewhat mock-melodramatic here, yes.  I am well aware that I'm not the only one to dislike TWILIGHT.  There are others like me out there.  I KNOW IT!   But my lack of understanding of the mass appeal is so strong that it almost hurts.   Why am I one of the people who doesn't get it?

(*But no, my dislike isn't about me being all jealous writer-ish.  Not entirely.)

Not sure what to do...

I sent my pitch thingy over to my editor friend to get her take on whether the elements I have in place make my story too adult.  She actually thought it could work really well to have a married teenager as the protagonist.  Which surprised me!  

She was concerned about the guy being older and in college since that is outside the world my target audience will know, but she didn't think it was a deal breaker.  Basically, though, she is VERY concerned about the miscarriage/stillbirth element.  She feels that the inclusion of something so heavy could make it a hard sell in the teen market.  Also, the further along the character is in the pregnancy, the more the focus (and page content) would need to be on getting over that loss in order to keep her sympathetic.  

Of course, the story I want to write isn't about a girl getting over a loss; it's about a girl being in a place where she can confront truths that were there all along, but that she wasn't equipped to see or accept before. 

She asked:  Is there anything OTHER than a pregnancy that could push her to feel she has to get married young, and then still have the husband's younger brother and other plot points arise that change things and help her see that she doesn't have to be tied to that life? 

Er... maybe?  But I sure can't think of anything!

Does anyone have any ideas you're willing to share that might help me out here?