Senor Parrot's Perch

I saw something on the AP wire about who might be in line for the Nobel Prize in Literature this year. Italian writer Claudio Magris is favored 3-1 by the British betting agency Ladbrokes. Bob Dylan is listed last at 150-1. Folks cheering for long-time favorite Philip Roth will likely be disappointed, given some of the recent sentiment others have expressed. One Nobel watcher, publisher Svante Weyler, says:

He’s the grand old man in American prose, but I think the academy doesn’t believe he is ‘heavy’ enough,” he told Reuters.

From Street Knowledge Media we read that a Swedish Juror for the prize, permanent secretary Horace Engdahl, publicly stated

“Of course there is powerful literature in all big cultures, but you can’t get away from the fact that Europe still is the center of the literary world … not the United States,” he told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Tuesday

“The U.S. is too isolated, too insular. They don’t translate enough and don’t really participate in the big dialogue of literature. That ignorance is restraining.”

Nothing like putting your cards on the table. Unlike Swedish, which is rarely taught, perhaps even in Sweden, English is taught and spoken most everywhere in the world. Other languages, such as Spanish, German, French, and Chinese are also spoken by quite a few folks.

But the thing with English is, lots of folks, everywhere, can read English pretty well. Well enough to read works untranslated. And anyone who is interested in the type of literature that receives the Nobel Prize probably speaks or reads more than one language, except probably in the U.S.

Of course! We’re insular! I forgot about that part. We only think about ourselves, I suppose, and our “ignorance is restraining.” Like the Nobel jurors have any reputation of winnowing the wheat from the chaff over the years.

Coffee adds zing, even to good books. From Snatched, by Pete Hautman and Mary Logue:

Brian took another gulp of coffee. The top of his head was vibrating. He could grow to like the stuff.

That was certainly my own reaction when I started drinking that bitter elixir.

If you’ve read The Mysterious Benedict Society then you’ll remember that Mr. Curtain, the bad guy in the story, had developed his own power system using wave and tidal power. Here is a YouTube video of the AP news story with a brief report and description of actual work to harness the power of waves to produce electricity. Its a neat video showing some actual devices and deployments in the lab.

This is an exciting new direction, especially in light of the renewed interest in alternative sources of energy. Think of all the engineering challenges. What sort of materials will withstand the ocean environment for long periods of time and still maintain their functionality? What about barnacles and other ocean flora and fauna? Will they glom onto the apparatuses and bog them down or stop them dead in their tracks?

There are political challenges, as well. Where will these be placed? Will they interfere with fishing and recreation to a great enough extent that political barriers will be raised against their use? Doubtless, there are many challenges to satisfying our never ending needs for new sources of energy.

Here are two other interesting lines of questions I’m interested in here. What ecological effect would wave-energy farms have on ocean habitats and what economic conditions will need to exist for us to really break free of our dependence on oil and coal as our major sources of energy?

Wow, I’m not waiting for this one. Seems Danielle Steel, author of best selling, steamy, adult fare, is entering the kid’s book market with The Happiest Hippo in the World about a hippo born, not gray, but green. It’s expected to be published in the later part of next year by HarperCollins Children’s.

Nothing in the story about what the message might be. Hmm… born green instead of gray. It wouldn’t be about trying to fit in when we’re born with differences, but resolving to accept ourselves the way we are and just be happy about it. Naw, that’s been done before, at least once.

Maybe this green hippo has super magical powers that explain the why of being green and that enable, no, obligate, this hippo to save the world… naw, not from Steel.

The story is at theBookseller.com.

I was reading author Gail Gauthier’s blog today and she was writing about an article she had read concerning reviews in general-something we’ve all noticed- that they are on their way out at newspapers.

Gauthier makes a point that I wholeheartedly agree with. She says

Traditional book critics provided an education for their readers, too. Sure you always had your elitist folks who seemed mainly interested in showing off what they thought they knew to the lesser mortals who read their work. But you also had people who truly shared what they knew. You really could learn something from reading book reviews.

Reviewing well is quite a talent, and a good reviewer generally knows a bit about the landscape in the general area that they review. They have a lot to contribute to making the book, or movie, or play more interesting and compelling. This is what I experience, at least, when I read a good review. It is also one of the primary features that I look for daily in the Wall Street Journal (what? that Business rag? Yup-they have great reviews of books (an army of reviewers), movies (Morgenstern rocks the cinema!) and theater (Teachout, whose appreciation of good theater and acting everywhere it’s found has made me appreciate local theater even more!)), as well as many other newspapers that I can find online.

If these types of reviews disappear, where will we ardent, hungry fans go? Most book and arts blogs don’t really attain this crucial aspect of the review. Certainly my reviews here don’t. I just write about something that I like, point out why I like it, and say if I think you might like it. I really don’t have time for that heavy lifting that goes into making a great review, nor do I have that temperament. Thank God for the ones that do!

The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a sensational book by writer and illustrator Brian Selznick. I have been snatching a few moments of free time to savor reading and looking through it whenever I can. I’m about half way through this book and I’m enjoying it immensely. I highly recommend it. Here are a few interesting  sites, reviews, and posts about the book.

Expanded Books produced an interview with Brian Selznick about his terrific Kids’ Book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Brian Selznick discusses his inspiration for the book, his approach to illustrating it and some of the story of the multifaceted man Georges Melies, the magician, film-maker, and toy-store owner who is at he center of the book.

There is more about this book with a few good links to more sites of interest over at Hypothetically Thinking, a good kids book blog.

Outside of a Cat has more good stuff to say about this book. He’s also posted the the video of the important short film by George Melies’  A Trip to the Moon, the silent film referenced frequently in the book.   This is a must see for you interested folks.

My favorite post  by Esme Raji Codell in her blog , describes her own reaction to this book:

“I think he has managed to create a whole new genre in children’s literature: the cinematic novel. An astonishing hybrid of screenplay, graphic novel and good old fashioned page-turner, this is as perfect a foray into the new as was Georges Melies’ movie, “A Trip to the Moon,” which, fittingly, is featured in this novel.”

It really is something new. Selznick’s storytelling technique that jumps from text to drawing and back again is like a reversion of the silient movie technique of jumping from motion picture to text, except his illustration tell the story, rather than explains it. If you are acquainted with silent movies and their technique, you’ll understand how Selznick uses his drawings to convey the story with every bit as much life as his text does.

Technique alone isn’t why this is such a terrific book. It is excellent storytelling, full of drama and mystery, and very compelling. Now, if I didn’t have that job, the lawn, weekend biking with the kids, the lawn, the job, the lawn, I’d be done with that book. 

Today, Scott Esposito, in his blog entry titled “This Book Does Not Exist” tells the story of a non-existent book that somehow got 28 5-star reviews on Amazon UK. The book is “Useless America” and “written” by Jim Crace. The story he cites is told at the LA Times JacketCopy blog.

This is very interesting, in part because its a funny tail of how typos can grow into whole books. Who’d a thunk it that we really could maybe get some Shakespeare from a room full of monkeys with wordprocessors if they just had enough time, disk space, and wildly unpredictable spell-checking?

Not quite as interesting or funny, but definitely related, is the story that Amazon plans to reduce the number of reviews it lists on its book details pages. Ron, over at MediaBistro.com GalleyCat notes that very news from Gather.com. Seems some folks are upset about this. Well, I is and I ain’t. So, reading about all the outstanding reviews for a book that doesn’t exist posted over on Amazon UK sort of moves me more into the “I ain’t” side of the scale.

Now, I’ve wondered about many of those reviews, myself. I’ve posted a few, but they’ve all been for books I’ve read. Not only that, they’ve existed, too. And no, not even like the time in college when I (more…)

Today I am very pleased to interview Jenn Doucette, a very funny lady and the author of the recently published “Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This: Refreshing Rest Stops for Moms on the Run.” She talks about herself, her books, and duct tape. Women – even your husbands would enjoy this!

But first, I want to tell you that you’ll enjoy this book. Jenn Doucette’s “Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This” is written for moms on the Go – Moms in need of a rest stop to recuperate, refuel, and reconnect.

With humor and insight Jenn Doucette looks at her own life and examines from all sides the frustrations and challenging incidents that every mom shares and provides practical and spiritual advice for slowing down, de-stressing and re-focusing in order to stay refreshed and find contentment in life.

Jenn is also founder of D.A.I.S.Y Ministries, “a vehicle to reach other women in need of a laugh, a hug, and some Spiritual encouragement. ”

Now, here’s Jenn Doucette!

SP:
Jenn, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you became a writer?

Jenn:
I live in the Northwest with my husband, Ben, and our three kiddos (J.J., Katie, and Emma). Among other things, I love comedy, good food, learning how to play the guitar, and alternative Christian rock bands (Jars of Clay, Mercy Me, Third Day, Casting Crowns, Newsboys). I’m a cat person, a LOST fan, and a follower of Jesus Christ. I’m a proud owner of two cats, one chicken, and a Beta fish named Gary.

And I am a writer.

Looking back, I believe my writing adventure began in first grade – the same year I discovered The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Gertrude Chandler Warner, Jane Eyre (yep, that’s correct), and Alfred Hitchcock. Sure, playing with dolls was still fun; riding bikes continued to be a big part of my kid routine; but words and books plunked themselves down as #1 on “My favorite Things” list and haven’t budged since.

It didn’t take too long, really, before I became a book junkie. Thankfully, the bookmobile made regular stops on our street, just long enough to give me a “quick fix,” to keep my imagination placated until the next trip to the library.

In 2003, after nearly three decades of fanatical reading and a year of wrestling with God about His calling for my life, I decided to become a writer. It was my hope to create a piece of work that would inspire others with hope and humor. Soon after this decision, an old friend contacted me; he turned out to be a literary agent.

I sent him some very rough stuff.

He liked it.

Sold it to NavPress publishing

And I became a published author.

SP:
In your new book, “Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This: Refreshing Rest Stops for Moms on the Run” you gave each chapter title with one form or another of the word “Go,” and in the introduction to your book you liken Moms to the Gingerbread Man, just one step ahead and always running as fast as they can so as not to be caught from behind by all the responsibilities of motherhood. Can you tell us what led you to characterize a Moms life this way? What are some of the dangers that this presents to Moms? How will your book help Moms find the break they need?

Jenn:
After giving birth three times in four years, I remember romanticizing the stage following the tumultuous toddler years. No more diapers! No more car seats! No more cutting up grapes or searching through sheets for a lost pacifier!

I believe I was giddy with naiveté.

Because once I finally arrived at the school-age stage, or what I call The Busy Stage, diapers became replaced with gym socks; car seats became replaced with neverending homework projects, grapes were replaced with orthodontic appointments and lost pacifiers with after-school activities.

The giddiness quickly wore off.

And I realized I wasn’t alone. And being the avid reader I am, I remember reading The Gingerbread Man out loud to my kids one time and cracking up. “This is me!” I chortled, pointing to the little brown cookie running away from the policeman, the butcher, plumber, the man, the woman, and the dog. It was right then that I knew I’d found a great theme for a book: Refreshing Rest Stops for Moms on the Run.

I think the dangers in continuing to live an “on the go” existence are the risk of missing our kids’ childhoods, missing out on the relational aspect of parenting; I also believe moms on the go are prime candidates for burnout. If we don’t get the rest we need, we’re more prone to just keep on running. Divorce, abandonment, and suicide are the extreme possibilities for moms who have been sucked dry by their care-giving responsibilities.

How will my book help? Well, hopefully it will make ‘em laugh. Pooped out moms need to laugh. My book also gives examples of mistakes I’ve made (oye), suggestions I have for improvement, as well as humorous examples of mom blunders. I believe my book can help, because I’m like all the other moms out there – and every mom needs to know she’s not alone.

SP:
In your first chapter you emphasize every Mom’s essential need for girlfriend time – a point that my wife really agreed with, and when we were discussing this point together she made it reeaally clear to me that it is really, really, reeeeaaaaallllllly important. Ok. So, since it has now been irrefutably established as fact, can you tell us why it is necessary? What about a Mom who doesn’t have that girlfriend network to turn to? What can she do to find or create her own sisterhood of the go-go moms so she can get that girlfriend

Jenn:
Girlfriend time is vital because women and men are different. Duh, I know. But the fact is, women understand women in ways the men in our lives will NEVER understand us. It’s not enough to be loved, appreciated, and respected. We need to feel understood by someone. And it’s reassuring to hear how others may be struggling with similar issues, or to hear how others have successfully maneuvered through a tricky parenting situation. Our girlfriends cheer us on, they make us smile, they listen to us cry, and they love us through it all.

Unfortunately, not everyone has friends like that. My response to that? I’ll quote Woody from Toy Story: “If you don’t have one – get one!” This is definitely easier said than done.

Here are some ideas for getting connected with fellow girlfriends:

MOPS groups – (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) These groups can be found all across the United States. They primarily meet in churches, and provide childcare. MOPS groups tend to meet every other week and offer guest speakers, crafts, parenting suggestions, and a wonderful opportunity to network and socialize.

Online chat groups or blogging loops – be careful, this can be risky and you have to be smart. Here are a couple online groups to check out: http://www.frugalmom.net/
http://twomomsinablog.com/
http://www.pioneerparenting.blogspot.com/
http://www.5minutesformom.com/
http://www.mom2momconnection.com/
http://www.shoutlife.com/ (this is a Christian alternative to myspace.com)

Get involved with a local church

Join a local scrapbook group, a health club, or book club

Get to know your neighbors or your kids’ friends’ parents
SP:
Where did you get the idea to include the little activities in the “Getting Directions” section at the end of each chapter? I really liked how you structured these sections. The first question is something simple and funny – like bait drawing them into the next questions. Then, its like you sneak up on your reader and suddenly they realize you’ve dropped something very practical, meaningful and easily done right into their lap that can make that rest stop happen for them. And the best part is, its something that the reader wants, because really your questions act as sparks to generate plans of their own.

Jenn:
Book clubs are kind of the rage right now and I wanted to format my book so that if groups wanted to use it in their book club, they’d have ready-made questions from the get-go.

I’ve spoken to a number of MOPS women’s groups and they always ask me to bring in a short set of discussion questions to get women sharing with one another. The idea is to bring them to the table in a non-threatening way, to let them laugh with one another before they get to some of the deeper issues. I don’t want them to feel tricked though ! If they opt out of the more soul searching questions, then they’ve at least contributed to the lighter ones. I want to be sensitive to those women who find it difficult to share in a group (I can SO NOT relate, but I know those sweeties are out there), and to let them know they’re still valuable, that their input is important.

Bottom line? I love my audiences and I love my readers and I want them to feel safe with me.
SP:
You put your Christian faith right out there in the open and each chapter of your book emphasizes an appropriate passage from the Bible to meditate on. Can you talk about the role your faith has played in your life?

Jenn:
A big part, baby. Jesus has been in my life for as long as I can remember. He’s been a very real, integral part of every major decision in my life. I’ve seen him work miracles of the heart, miracles of the body, and miracles of the soul. He’s humbled me, changed me, forgiven me, and molded me.