Beloved Book Becomes Beloved Film

Note: Because this review is based on the beloved novel, I have posted it on both blogs.

Four Stars

John Hughes had a saying that you are more serious at age 16 than you are at any other time in your life, and I’m suppose that’s true. Reading a novel like “Perks of Being a Wallflower” as a teenager, you walk away with an intense emotional experience. It would be easy for me as an adult to shrug off this book and movie as easily the case of overly dramatic teenagers, despite how serious their problems are. I have read the bestselling young adult novel the movie is based on, and I always thought that “Perks” was a story about closed doors. The problem with me as an adult is that “Perks” packs a lot of teenage problems in a novel that’s about 206 pages. Rape, pedophilia, coming out of the closet, bullying, drugs, sex, mental health, depression, and all sorts of stuff that teens deal with. Between all the typical teenage scenes in the book and movie, someone says something that sticks out like a sore thumb, often an admission of some kind that doesn’t sound quite right.

This brings me back to John Hughes’s saying, that everything is more serious when you are a teenager. It would be really easy for me to talk on and on about all the issues this novel brings up in such a short space, but on with the movie review. Charlie is a shy kid, who is just starting high school. On his first day, he meets a wonderful English teacher (Paul Rudd), who sees how smart he is, and starts giving him extra books to read. He starts to read books like “A Separate Piece” and “Catcher in the Rye”, which in this story is almost foreshadowing of the actual story we get. Angst ridden teen novels, in an angst ridden movie based on an angst ridden teen novel, I’m starting to get the picture. It helps that this movie is written and directed by the author of the actual book, which is very rare, Stephen Chosky. Charlie is a wallflower, which means he sits back and observes, doesn’t get involved and has an unusual way of thinking.

Soon he meets some older kids, Sam and Patrick (Ezra Miller). Emma Watson and Ezra Miller have wonderful chemistry as step brother and sister, and are obviously good matches for the shy Patrick. They are quirky and it’s hard not to like them as they go on and on about good music versus bad music.  Ezra Miller is very good here, as Patrick, the gay kid who has some secrets of his own. Emma Watson is also very good, with an American accent. As Charlie, the beloved character from this beloved novel, Logan Lerman does a wonderful job, and I’m (probably foolishly) hoping he gets an Oscar nod. There are a lot of hints in this movie (and in the novel) about his obsession with his dead aunt. Obviously, something was going on between him as a kid and this aunt that wasn’t exactly normal. Often, victims of abuse in the way Charlie was, become obsessed with the abuser.

Despite all the issues this film brings up, it works, because with all the underlying darkness, there’s a lot of sweatiness to these characters. Charlie’s shyness, and his two outcast friends, Sam and Patrick bring a lot of great friendship that helps them get through their traumas. Scenes like when Sam gives Charlie his first kiss, saying that the first person who kisses him should be someone who loves him, we get the sense that she means she loves him as a very good friend loves another. The scene where Patrick buys Charlie a suit because of Charlie’s great desire to be a writer or the scene where after Charlie admits that his best friend shot himself, they raise their glasses to Charlie after Sam tells Patrick what happened.

                “Perks” would be easy for me to dismiss as I am no longer a teenager, and maybe I don’t have that intense nature anymore that I once had as a teenager, but a lot of teenagers have an intense nature and this film brings us back to that. I know a lot of kids will be waiting on line to see “Twilight”, and believe me, I have nothing against that. I think we all need an escape, but it is kind of a shame that more kids won’t be on line to see “Perks of Being a Wallflower”, which they might actually take something away from. One of the great accomplishments of the writer Stephen Chbosky in both the film, and this, his so far only novel, is just some of the lines alone, like “We feel infinite” or “We get the love we think we deserve.” Writing for teenagers often allows a writer to go for a line that perhaps some adults would roll their eyes at, because a teenager feels that seriousness John Hughes was talking about. However, a lot of Chobosky’s lines have become iconic and have great truth to them.  A lot of the lines from the book (and now the move) raise this story from a normal young adult novel.  “Perks of Being a Wallflower” might require the viewer to get in touch with their inner adolescence, and remember a time that the world did feel that serious. However, the issues these teenagers deal with aren’t exclusive to only teens, as many adults have problems with the same things.

What I would suggest is that if your kid is begging to see the finale of “Twilight”, make a deal with them that they also see this. I always think it’s important for younger movie goers to not only go to movies that feed them entertainment, but also give them something personal and positive to walk away with. As I said earlier, I have nothing against escapism for younger viewers, but I think “Perks” might also balance that out with something they might hold onto. “Perks of Being a Wallflower” is that book that teens probably pass along to each other, and this movie is the kind of movie that might actually help teens copes with some of the very serious issues they deal with.  “Perks of Being a Wallflower” is one of the year’s best films, and a testament to being able to create characters for teenagers and adults alike. On a personal note, I’ve been waiting to review the movie version of this book ever since I’ve read the wonderful novel, and I wasn’t disappointed with the film.  Often smaller movies that are geared for teenagers are the best films for them to see. “Perks of Being a Wallflower” is one of the year’s best films, and hopefully one of the best attended.  

What’s A Good Storyteller Worth: The Pros and Cons of “Twilight”

 

Now, I’ve read the first “Twilight” and instead of simply saying it’s good or bad, I think it would be interesting to write a review that weighs the pros and cons of “Twilight”. On one hand, Stephanie Meyer is a wonderfully good story teller; on the other hand, she’s not a great writer. What are the pros and cons of a popular book? Should we be happy with anything that gets a teenage girl to read? I vote yes. Should we criticize her writing? I’m not really sure that’s worth doing. Are her characters and situations kind of ridiculous? Yes. “Twilight” is an interesting book, not because of what it is. It’s a fairly standard romance novel with some supernatural stuff thrown in that teenagers love. Now, I’m not saying Stephanie Meyer is J.K. Rowling. She’s not. J.K. Rowling is both a great storyteller and a great writer. However, “Twilight” brings up this interesting point. I am a great believer that not everything needs to be masterful (if it was, we all go nuts!) Some things need to be just good escapism, and “Twilight”, if not a great book, is great escapism.

Now, I’ve heard the critics of “Twilight” bash it for reasons that are serious concerns. I will give the critics that, but I think “Twilight” deserves a mixed reaction, not just a plain bash fest. Reviewing “Twilight”, the book, I think there are pros and cons. Bella isn’t a strong enough female character, Edward is kind of a stalker, they fall in love too fast (yet, a lot of teenagers in real life do, too) and Mayer’s prose are standard, if not subpar at best.  All true statements, yet on the other hand, a reader needs to know what they are walking into. “Twilight” is for teenage girls, who are at an age where every boy who looks the least bit attractive is one for their hearts. An argument I don’t buy is, which I’ve heard from friends who are critics, “Twilight” somehow promotes older men and younger girls getting together. Yeah, Edward has been seventeen for a thousand years, but that’s part of the appeal and escapism. He’s a vampire, and vampires do not age. Anyone who has read better vampire novels knows this.

“Twilight”, for those few who do not know, is about a teenage girl named Bella who is new to Forks, a town near Seattle. She goes to a new school, where boys take notice of her. She meets a new boy named Edward, who quickly becomes her boyfriend. They get together, and well, they fall in deep love. I’m already cringing at this as a twenty five year old male, but I know I will have to put my ego at the door while reading this. I am a book critic, sure, but I’m also not a fourteen year old girl. I have no plans on becoming a woman or a girl or whatever. So, yes, this book wasn’t written with me in mind. So, let’s start this interesting review. I present the pros and cons of Twilight.

Let’s start with the pros. The pros are Meyer’s talent at creating escapism. It’s so ridiculous what we are reading. The romance isn’t set up well enough, and we see that. I mean, these two characters really are hormone driven teenagers, and Meyer pretty much knows this. A simple glance across the lunch room pretty much sets up a big romance between this vampire and this teenage girl. However, the characters she creates are so compelling; she does a good job of selling this. I found myself turning pages, really fast, wanting to know what happens to these characters. I found her introduction of the Cullens sitting at the lunch table compelling. Who are these great looking teenagers who have somewhat pale skin and keep to themselves? They are great looking kids with something mysterious about them! It’s not an original hook, but that doesn’t make it a bad one.

Bella’s narration, too, is a plus. Yes, to me, a 25 year old male, it sounds like a whiney teenage girl. Teenage girls complain a bit, and I think that’s a natural thing. Yes, there’s a limit, but let’s remember who we are following in this story. Bella is a sixteen year old girl, who’s selfish mom ships her off to the dad she’s hasn’t seen since she was a little girl, because she wants to have a romance with a baseball player. She has to adjust to a new town, and new friends. She has to learn to obey a new parent who she hardly knows. A teenager like that in real life has a right to be a bit of an emo kid. Teenagers have a bit of a right to be emo. People criticize Meyer for sounding like a whiney teenager, but they forget, she isn’t narrating this story. Bella is. Being a bit whiney is true to this character. I would think a teenager in her situation would have a right to whine. Heck, I would expect her to. People say Bella is a martyr. I think she’s just a frustrated teenager.

Teenagers like that have a right to feel a bit rejected, have a right to complain a bit. She can write bad poetry about her situation. An unfair comparison people make is between prose in Harry Potter and Twilight. Harry Potter is told in the third person, and Twilight in the first person.  Bella is narrating the tale, not Meyer. If Harry Potter was told in Harry’s point of view, instead of Rowling, he would sound like Bella. Harry, like Bella, would sound like a mistreated teenager, who doesn’t feel in control, and considering neither is in a great situation, they have a right to complain. Understanding where a character is coming from is important, and besides, she’s not trying to connect to an old foggy like myself, she’s trying to connect to a teenager trying to figure out their raging hormones and puberty. How many times have you looked back on your teenage years and can’t believe what you wrote in your dairy? How whiney did you sound? It’s the same thing.

 Another pro to “Twilight” is its sales. Like Harry Potter’s sales, anything that sells books to kids is a good thing. I rather my kids read both “Twilight” and “Harry Potter”. Heck, they are reading. That’s never a bad thing. Is “Harry Potter” better than “Twilight”? From a literary point of view, yes! Does kid’s literature have to be held up to the standards of the New York Times Book Review Section? No. If we hold young adult literature to a standard that high, kids will never read. Most kids, first and foremost, want to be entertained, not enlightened by some deep, Pulitzer Prize worthy prose piece. However, I was talking to a librarian and she noted that a lot of adult writers are now writing young adult novels, and they often aren’t very good at it. Meyer is good at speaking to the teenagers in a language they can understand.  I however, when I was younger, I did read some books I found rather deep (Perks of Being A Wallflower is great, but looking back, is a bit melodramatic in places), and that’s a skill. I’m not saying give Meyer (or Rowling) the Pulitzer. No way, but respect their talent for being able to do what a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist might not be able to.

Now, onto the cons. “Twilight” is poorly written at times, and on a rather low level. One of the merits of “Harry Potter” is that it doesn’t talk down to kids. “Twilight”, at times, does feel like it’s pandering to its young female audience in the writing department. The book uses a bit too many terms that sound like an adult trying to sound like a teenager. Seriously, Meyer sometimes sounds really ridiculous in the phrases she uses. We know this is a teenager narrating, but we also know this is a grown woman writing it, and sometimes a little self awareness would pay off. This would also have helped the book have some of the crossover appeal “Harry Potter” had. “Harry Potter”, at times but not so much that it ends up being like an episode of “Community”, really did have this self awareness to it. One of the reasons I think adults read Potter so much is because it did wink at the audience sometimes. Rowling has this dry humor Meyer doesn’t. I don’t know if that’s a British thing, because Meyer is American. However, “Twilight” does lack that self awareness which might have made the book better. At times, the book takes itself a bit too seriously.

Another con of “Twilight” is the fact that Bella isn’t really the strongest female character. Hermione Ginger, in “Harry Potter” is a strong female character that Bella Swan isn’t. Bella is in love with Edward to the point of it being a bit ridiculous. Like, too much of her not being able to live without him is really silly sounding. Like, they do fall in love way too fast, but her strong desire to be with him forever sounds a bit silly. I don’t look forward to the day I have to tell my future daughter (if I have one), after her breakup with a first boyfriend, that no dear, you and him are just misunderstanding hormones. “Twilight” sells the idea a bit too strongly that you and your high school boyfriend are meant to be eternal souls. I can see this book making it harder for parents to explain to their kids that no, you and your boyfriend, are both in high school, and will probably move on in college. Bella, in book two, doesn’t even want to go to college or turn eighteen, because of her eternal love for Edward. Yeah, I understand this is a fantasy, but eternal love in your high school years is often a fantasy.

An aspect of their love I do like, though, is the sexual tension but the decision they constantly make to wait and not do the deed. Too much media is focused on teenagers getting it on and acting like it’s not a big deal, and in Twilight, it’s a very big deal and Meyer’s conviction (could also be due to the fact she’s a Mormon, but that’s not really fair), that teen sex is dangerous (and in this case, would result in a bite from a vampire) is actually not a bad message for teenage girls. A bite from a vampire is a really good metaphor for the unhealthy results of teenagers doing it a bit too early.

However, she keeps describing Bella as a plain girl, up to the level that we really don’t understand Edward’s attraction to her. Edward is like a teenage model, and Bella is a plain looking girl. That big gap in the way they look makes the book feel a bit too much of a fantasy. Meyer didn’t need to make Bella look amazing, but she could have added a detail like beautiful eyes or Bella is a star athlete. I don’t want to sound shallow, but everyone, not just teenagers, thrive on some kind of attraction that’s physical. Bella never really gives us something about her that would attract the hottest guy in school. That makes the book seem like a fantasy for teenage girls that’s a bit unrealistic. We don’t really understand why Bella is dating this guy. This guy can have any girl he wants, and Meyer doesn’t really make anything stand out about Bella. She’s not super smart or attractive in any special way. I’m not trying to be shallow, but the guy with model looks is going out with the girl with model looks. This is high school, and yes, I know, Edward has been in high school for a thousand years, but still.               

Another con I feel is Meyer’s unreliable writing. She doesn’t know how to incorporate back story the way Rowling does. The story of the vampires, with Edward talking about Paris and his past, and his parents dying, and the bite that changed his life, feels kind of pointless, and should have been something the editor should have either cut out or something Meyer should have left as a mystery to the reader. A more mysterious back story would have created some mystique around the character. Also, the Cullens are way too successful. Even their adopted father looks like a model, and he’s a successful doctor. That’s kind of a plot hole too. A vampire can’t be a doctor. They go insane around all that blood. Also, they own nice cars. Sorry, I just don’t buy vampires being this successful. They have way too many issues to do this well in society. I haven’t even started on the other one who tries to win Bella’s heart yet, either. Jacob, her Native American friend, who can transform into a werewolf, is also vying for Bella. Meyer puts too much of this supernatural stuff without proper pacing and mystery around it which makes the book come off as cheesy. Also, Edward and Jacob, these two great looking guys, sorry I’m just not buying that they are battling for this very plain human girl.

So, what do we make of “Twilight”, and if I were to grade it, what would I give it. I think it’s better than a “C”, but not quite an “A”. I would give it a B. Meyer deserves credit, because if she wasn’t a great storyteller (which she is), no one would buy this story. However, her storytelling is really compelling even if her writing isn’t really that great. I think writing a compelling story is a real skill, though, and it’s always valuable to write to a younger crowd. What critics don’t get about books like “Twilight” is that “Twilight” isn’t a great book by itself, but more of a waiting station for kids to get hooked on reading. The language is easy, the story is simple and entertaining, and also, what critics don’t get it that not everything needs to be masterful. “Harry Potter” is a masterful story, as is “War and Peace”. Yet, do we need everything to be a masterpiece? No, sometimes we just need brain candy. If an adult is reading “Twilight”, then it’s just brain candy to them, simple as that. Sometime to help them escape their everyday life. If a kid is reading it, then it’s just a fantasy for them crafted perfectly for them. Stephen King criticized Meyer as “not being able to write a darn”, and that might be somewhat true. He went to praise J.K. Rowling. However, Meyer and Rowling are in the same business. They are in the escapism business because no one is going to Hogwarts and no one is falling in love with a vampire. Both are fiction, but fiction is important, because society needs theses stories. After all, what is a society without stories? It’s real life, and lets be honest, at times, it isn’t much fun.

Neil Gaiman at Bard: A Report

Neil Gaiman is one sincere man. He's been a literary rock star for years, and as he took to the stage at Bard College, he said that he was expecting a classroom of about 30 people, not the 700+ people who showed up to simply hear him read a new short story he had written. Through Twitter he asked if people wanted to come out and  hear him read, asking them to be his "guinea pigs." Well, people came from all over. A woman drove all the way  from Maryland to see Gaiman read. Another said he came from California, and his family would like to think he came to see them, but he really came for Gaiman.

 Gaiman emerged on stage in his trade mark black jacket and seemed shocked at how many people showed up.  Gaiman, one of the best known storytellers of out time, is a bit if a fantasy legend.  His best known books include "American Gods", "Neverwhere", Good Omens", and of course "Coralline."Writing children's books, fantasy novels and acclaimed graphic novels Gaiman has had a great career as a writer.

 I won't give away too many details of the story he read to the audience. I will say it was an honor to be one of the first people to listen to a Neil Gaiman story.  After the story he told us that he would edit the story based on our reactions, including playing up one of his characters.  That is really cool that we could have an effect on one of this master's stories. He got a well deserved standing ovation from which he humbly asked if we stood because the story was that good or were we just wanting to stretch due to sitting so long. In addition to the story he read two wonderful poems.  Before he started the reading he promised the audience a gift afterward.  Naturally the gift he gave us was a cool and quirky one.  The gift was a performance by his wife, Amanda Palmer. She took out her ukulele and and enchanted us as Neil Gaiman looked on lovingly.

All in all, it was a delightful evening, and an honor to be in the presence of a literary God.  Maybe I'm sounding a bit like a hero worshiper as I write this loving tribute to the great Neil Gaiman. And even tho I only had to travel a few miles to get there I would of strapped on the mileage for this experience. Now, if only I could be in the same room with Stephen King, my life would be complete.---

Fictional Teachers We Had

Good morning, class. Today we are going to discuss teachers who shaped who we are. Those educators who taught us important life lessons, and used the classroom to make us the people we are today. Of course, we all have real teachers who have done this in our lives. I remember two English teachers, Mr. Sealand, who inspired me to read, and Miss Governale, who inspired me to write, and an art teacher, Mr. Marvell, who inspired me to think deeply. These were all great teachers, and I feel l need to pay my due respects to them, however this article is about the teachers we all had. I’m talking about fictional teachers. So, here’s the list of the most respected fictional teachers from movies, books and television.

10. John Keating (Dead Poets Society)

Stand on your desks, everyone, and rip out a page of your textbooks. Well, okay, that’s exactly what annoyed Roger Ebert, in his review of “Dead Poets Society” as he described Mr. Keating as a “delicate balancing act between restraint and shtick.” However annoying Robin William’s portrayal of a teacher is to the modern viewer, we would all lie if we said we didn’t want him as a teacher. He’s been both spoofed and celebrated, but Mr. Keating did think outside the box and inspire his students. Humor is often a good quality found in real memorable teachers, too.

9. Miss Honey (Matilda)

Give this women teacher of the year. From the Roald Dahl novel, and the movie by Danny DeVilo, Miss Honey doesn’t only share Matilda’s love of reading, she also ends up adopting Matilda, from her nasty brutish family. Together, they make a very smart team. Not only does Matilda have a better life with Miss. Honey, but she gets those darn powers of hers under control. Bravo.

8. Mr. Balding (Saved By The Bell)
Yes, he’s the principal who hung out a bit too much with the kids (and in real life, that would be kind of creepy, but this is a TV show, so let’s give it a pass.)  However, you can’t deny that Mr. Balding cares about his school and his students a lot too. He seems to always be there for Zack and the gang when they needed an adult to talk to. Even when he’s a total goof ball, he’s also a caring adult.

7. Mr. Miyagi (The Karate Kid)
Mr. Miyagi is a great teacher. The only character to appear in the entire series (not counting the remake); Mr. Miyagi is also there to teach kids discipline and fighting. He is a good listener, teacher and a caring older man. Ok, so the plots to “The Karate Kid” movies didn’t always make total sense but Mr. Miyagi always taught kids to both understand and kick butt at the same time.

6. Yoda (Star Wars)
Yoda isn’t human, but he’s caring, wise and taught generations of Jedi’s how to do it. He is there for a young Luke Skywalker, and cared enough to take on the role as mentor. He’s a great whatever he is, and you can’t get that experience from just any teacher. Yoda is always there to teach you how to have a firm grasp on the light saver.

5. Professor Leonard Haffsteader (Big Bang Theory)

Okay, so he spends more time lusting over Penny than teaching a university class but we did see him teach a class a couple times in the series. However, I do think he make a very good teacher to have, because if he has proven anything, Leonard is an understanding and patient guy. You try having Sheldon as a roommate. Not only does he have him as a roommate, but he voluntarily considers him his best friend.

4. Professor Robert Langdon (The Di Vinci Code)

Okay, this book isn’t a masterpiece of literature, but still, Langdon would be a pretty cool professor to have. Not only is he full of conspiracy theories, but he went on great adventures to prove them. Think of the cool stories he can tell in class (fact checkers need not apply. Chances are, you can get an “A” on your paper doing as much fact checking as author Dan Brown did.)

3. Professor Snape (Harry Potter)

You know, he’s a grouch. He’s also rude and not an easy “A”. Not the nicest guy in the world but there he is something good underneath that all. He is actually on your side, and does a lot you don’t know about to keep you alive. I’m not going to give away details, but let’s just say, Harry Potter named one of his kids Snape for a reason.

2. Dumbledore (Harry Potter)

He is the father figure to Harry Potter, keeper of the secrets and the leader of Hogwarts. He is someone who cares deeply for his students and believes very much in them. He is an old wizard, and has had a lot of life experiences, and he is always there to give a speech, explaining not only to Harry Potter and friends the lesson of this installment, but also to the reader, as well.

1. Mr. Feeny (Boy Meets World)

Make the Feeny call! Yes, “Boy Meets World” isn’t exactly one of the greatest sitcoms ever made, but Mr. Feeny is one of the best fictional teachers to ever grace the television screen. I mean, he cares so deeply about his students, he teaches them from elementary to college. He always has the speech at the end to explain the lesson of the show, and has the last line of the series, “I love you all. Class dismissed”. Sounds like a certain other teacher (J.K. Rowling ever watch Boy Meets World?) Mr. Feeny is played wonderfully by veteran actor William Daniels. Yes, this show got crazy towards the end, and even started to acknowledge it openly with a ton of meta jokes. However, Mr. Feeny is always there in syndication to explain to us life’s journey because Mr. Matthews needs to be guided, and Mr. Feeny guided us all.

"Odd Thomas" is a Standard Koontz, but A Good Page Turner

“Odd Thomas”, by Dean Koontz, is another page turner. However, I refuse to dismiss Dean Koontz as a bestseller factory. I often think that while it’s not the best literature, authors like Koontz create memorable characters and are able to speak to a wide readership. That’s a skill, despite what literary snobs say. A lot of people who criticize those who sell a lot of books are often just jealous, or think that it’s somehow undermining literature, when it’s really not. Stephanie Meyer is the best example of that. Having a lot of people read helps literature, even if the book in their hands has the byline “James Patterson.” Another thing I would like to note is that we can’t always read masterpieces. I’m feeling a bit of literary guilt at the moment because I’m reading an old paperback of “Phantoms”, another Dean Koontz thriller instead of the best reviewed book of the year, “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green. I’m sure John Green is a fine writer, but I don’t want to read about kids who have cancer. It’s the summer time and I just want to read something that’s totally not happening in the real world. When someone dies in “Phantoms”, it’s almost like a horror movie instead of a thought provoking exploration of mortality.

So, Odd Thomas lives in the desert town of Pico Mundo, California. He is fry cook. Basically, Pico Mundo is a little nowhere town with a mall. He is a seemly normal twenty year old guy, except for the fact he can see dead people. They talk to him, he sees them all over the place, and even hangs out with Elvis’s ghost occasionally. One of the things Koontz does well is throw in humor. However, with this story, he also throws in a sense of mystery. One day a guy comes into the restaurant, that Odd feels weird about. Oh, I should mention his actual name is Odd. He starts to become concerned that the mystery man is up to something. So, after work, he follows him back home, and sneaks into his house. He finds files on murderers.

He goes to the local police chief, Wyatt Porter, and tells him about what he found. The chief isn’t totally convinced, but he says he’ll keep an eye on the man, because he trusts Odd and they have a father/son relationship. Another thing Koontz does well is mix genres. This is a bit of a supernatural tale, romance and a mystery wrapped into one. The romance is with Stormy, who is the manager of an ice cream shop. One of the things I like about Koontz is his characters are often not people we would consider interesting right away. When you read Stephen King, often his characters are doctors or novelists, and of course, they are going to be interesting. They have cool jobs. Koontz, more often, likes his characters to be fry cooks or work at the mall.

So, we get the usual dose of suspense and action that we expect from a Koontz novel.  There’s a bomb in the mall, suspense and chase scenes. The book, no surprise, opens on a chase scene. Odd chases down a murderer/child molester after the ghost come to him and tell him what the guy did.  One of the things Koontz loves to do is weave in morality into his stories. Koontz said in an interview he never gets on a soap box, but I see plenty of things that are a bit of a morality tale. In real life, Koontz is pretty religious, and it can be seen in his novels. The villain in “Odd Thomas” trashes a church. One of the things Koontz does is throw in sappy stuff. There’s a scene towards the end that was really sappy, but he redeems himself by giving it a twist I didn’t really see coming.


Towards the second half of the book, it gets to be a bit long with a lot of characters showing up like Odd’s crazy mother and immature dad. However, the book isn’t overly long. It only runs about 400 pages, but I felt that some of the people Odd does go to visit towards the end were kind of just filling up back story. Like Koontz figured we needed to know about Odd’s family through more than just detailed dialogue. I’m all for back story, and I actually think it’s useful that Koontz has us visit Odd’s mom and dad, who are crazy. However, it should have been a bit earlier in the book.

As I said earlier, Koontz is good at writing page turners, and there’s really nothing wrong with that. He does tend to repeat himself at times, but a lot of writers do that. I can forgive Koontz for sometimes being a bit sappy and preachy, because the man does know how to write good characters and keep the reader turning pages. That’s a skill any good writer of stories must process, and Koontz is very good at that. Oh, and there’s also a lot of characters in his books. They are all pretty quirky, but I don’t see people complaining about J.K. Rowling have a lot of characters in her books. I read online there’s going to be a movie. My ticket’s already bought.

The Books Are Open

So, I saw this episode of the “Simpsons”, “The Book Job”, and I have to tell you, it was the funniest “Simpsons” episode I’ve seen in years. Man, did they nail the writing life in that episode!  Homer and Bart trying to put together a team of experts to write a young adult novel that will sell a ton of copies while Lisa trying to write only to totally herself distract her from writing at all. We’ve all been there. And Neil Gaiman shows up! Wow! This episode had everything. Ok, I don’t usually write gushing, cliché reviews like this one, but sometimes you need to just enjoy something and I really enjoyed this episode.  However, being a bit more serious, “The Book Job” does bring up some points about publishing. All writers are in a rush to try to come up with something, ever since Harry Potter came on the scene. Before J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer, we would write page turning horror novels, hold our breath and hope for the best. Don’t get me wrong, I really love the pre-young adult era literature as well as young adult literature. I’m a sucker for Dean Koontz. He can make me roll my eyes, and I’ll still sit there turning pages upon pages, and that is a skill.

I laughed at the beginning of the episode where Lisa finds out that the women who wrote her favorite fantasy novel series, a la J.K. Rowling, is made up. I’m not saying J.K. Rowling is made up, but her story is so inspiring, it might of well be. My brother once told me when he’s a millionaire that he will give me a million dollars to write my novel somewhere. I scoffed at him, because I didn’t have my coffee yet, but most of all, I scoffed at him because I want an inspiring story too. I don’t want to say I wrote a novel because money gave me time. I want to say I became rich off the novel. J.K. Rowling had that inspiring single parent story about how she became a millionaire, then billionaire, author after sitting in a coffee shopping writing away. We all want that story. Dean Koontz, as well, survived much. He had a really bad childhood.

I think it’s in the fabric of writing to have a back story of our own that led us to writing. Writing is a curious profession, even though I love the explanation they gave on the Simpsons episode. The idea that the publisher made up the story of the made up author to sell books and the books are really written by a bunch of starving English grad students. However, if the author can tell an inspirational story to go with the book, I guess in a way that does help sell copies. A part of that is due to the internet. I doubt Dean Koontz sold a million copies because people knew about his back story. Actually, his first two books to sell millions of copies where written under pen names, and one of them was actually a novelization of a movie. The movie flopped but the novelization sold a million copies. “The Funhouse” is still republished today, as a straight Dean Koontz novel, with no mention of a movie on the cover.

However, the side effect of the current publishing environment is that with young adult novels being so popular, everyone thinks they can do it. They think to themselves, well, these are novels for a younger set; therefore they should be easier to write for. The Simpsons episode “The Book Job” touches upon by this idea by having Homer setting up a group of experts to put together the novel. Everyone’s a writer now. The only two characters really qualified to write a novel in that episode are Patty, who is well read in the genre, and Lisa, who we know is smart and well read. However, like most people who are smart enough to write, Lisa is her own worst enemy. She spends all her time distracting herself from actually writing the novel she wants. She spends time playing internet games, and changing her settings. Lisa goes to a coffee shop, like J.K. Rowling, but distracts herself by buying a big cup of coffee and sipping at it.

I know what that’s like. I go between a library and a coffee shop, trying to get myself inspired somehow. I have good days and bad days. My current profession is freelance writing, and The Simpsons episode really nails what it’s like. That feeling of wanting to accomplish something, as Homer and his crew represent the part of the writer who wants to be successful and make money. Lisa represents the other part of the writer who is passionate about books and wants to see their name on a book jacket. However, the thing that’s always a problem with any industry that deals with the creative is that there’s a thin line between the business side and the creative side. We watch a TV show someone wrote, then we cut to a commercial break.  The beauty of a book is that it is a more pure form of media. There is no commercial break in a book. We don’t have to wait through a bunch of trailers to get to the book. We just open the cover.

However, in this episode, the publishing industry is also lampooned. While Homer and his new put together staff try to put together a children’s fantasy novel that will sell, they go through all the ingredients of what will sell. They come up with an orphan, a magical school and a vampire. They look around the bookstore and see that vampires are kind of overdone at the moment. “Twilight” knock offs are everything. So, of course, and a lot of writers in real life are currently trying to do this, they try to come up with an alternative. The next big thing that will be knocked off and such, and the premise they come up with actually isn’t half bad. They come up with a teenage troll living under the Brooklyn Bridge. However, they do get it to the publisher, but they need an author. Lisa, desperate to see her name on a book, sells out and takes the deal.

I’m not saying that any of this is exactly true. I’m sure J.K. Rowling is a real person, and wasn’t made up by a marketing guru. In real life, “Harry Potter” was rejected all over the place. However, it’s interesting to know that when something is successful in publishing, than there is kind of a dash among publishing companies to figure out how they can get something similar. It’s a great thing that children’s literature is being read by kids, and adults, and believe me, if I wrote a successful young adult novel, I be thrilled. Going back to the Simpsons episode, though, it’s really a funny episode and a good view at the cultural landscape of publishing today. Oh, and the end where Neil Gaiman cons himself back on the bestseller list, despite the fact he can’t read, is great.

Creative Ways To Get Your Kid To Read

 Once a kid enters the halls of Hogwarts, the cabins of Camp Half-Blood, the doorway to Narnia, meets a boyfriend like Edward or are chosen for The Hunger Games, then they will go to the magical world of reading. However, how do you get them to take that first step? Reading is really important, but how do you get them reading during their formative years? Here are some creative ways to get your kids to read. Before they enter a world, you need to make reading a part of theirs. Here’s how you can do that.

Rent The Movie- Don’t be ashamed to rent the movie first. The movie can act as a commercial for the book. If the book is a movie, and your kids aren’t so eager to read the book, then show them the movie. After watching the movie, the kid might go “Wow!” and grab the book.

Buy a Series- Kids love characters they get to know, and they love to go on adventures with them book after book. They will anticipate the next book coming out in the series, and the celebrations that come with it. Bookstores and libraries often throw parties in honor of each new book in a series. 

Pick a Genre- If you can get a kid into a genre, then they will follow that genre. It’s about getting a kid comfortable with a certain kind of story. Fantasy is often a very popular choice among young readers, because that provides an escape and an adventure.  

Don’t Judge Their Choice of Books- Of course, you don’t want your kids reading “Fifty Shades of Gray”, but there is something that should be known. You shouldn’t be a snob at the first things your kids read. You might be a dad who doesn’t understand the appeal of “Twilight”, and why should you? But your daughter or son might love reading about handsome vampires, and if that keeps her (or him) turning the pages, that’s great.

Encourage Their Writing- J.K. Rowling has said publicly that she loves reading fan fiction of “Harry Potter.” Fan fiction is when people write original stories about characters or place their original characters in the world of the novel. Encourage them to write, and share their fan fiction in groups or online communities like Fanfiction.net. There’s even whole websites dedicated to certain types of fan fictions like Fiction Alley, which is dictated to Harry Potter fan fiction.  Of course, make sure your kids are posting fan fiction on a safe site. The ones I just mentioned have a safe reputation. 

Make It a Group- Kids love to belong, and what better thing for them to bond over then a book?  See if your local library has a reading club for kids. If you can make reading a book into a group activity, then kids will have fun discussing the books together or playing the board game that goes with the book. They will make new friends, and bond over the book. This will be good when the movie comes out, and they go see it together. 

Turn The Book In to A Play- This goes along with the group idea. Maybe the kids could put on a play, acting out chapters and characters from the book or perhaps they make their fan fiction into a play. Once again, kids love entering a world, and this brings that world to life.

Buy Them a Bookshelf- At first; be willing to buy them books instead of simply taking them out from the library. Kids love to collect things, and when the books can become a part of their room, it becomes a part of their world as well. That doesn’t mean you have to spend twenty dollars on brand new books. Check out your library and local bookstores for used books. That being said…

Take Your Kids to the Library- Take them often. Make it the place they want to hang out at.

Those are my suggestions to get your kids to read. A kid who reads will do better later in life. So, don’t just make reading a chore. Make it a celebration. Make it a recreation. Make it theirs.