Vernon's Verses: YA

Showing posts with label YA. Show all posts

Monday, October 1, 2012

The skinny bitch in YA

Lovely topic, isn't it?

I've talked about many things with girl characters in YA and Hollywood alike that are focused on the pretty, skinny girl with the chubby sidekick friend. And today I'm here to say that I'm kind of thinking the skinny bitch is getting to this chubby author.

I recently read through the sample of a book because it was a pretty big seller and there were aliens in it. I was really excited that the main character was kind of geeky, a blogger, but then I read further. Oh she's kind of geeky, but she's REALLY pretty which means guys still find her hot (Bella anyone?). I immediately did not buy the book because it made me really upset. Why do all the girls in YA have to be skinny and pretty? Why can't I find a chubby girl kicking butt and the guy likes her for much more than that initial 'oh hot girl!'

In HOW TO DATE AN ALIEN, Alex is a bigger girl, but by no means is she obese. I describe her as being around a size ten with curves (as evident when Jen tries to sexify her up for Ace.) One of my early readers at one point said that my MC had too many flaws: glasses, big hips, being the non-white girl. I took these comments in and I toned down a little bit more of Alex's looks (she had crooked teeth and other things, but I let them go). But then I started to think about it...why is every main girl in YA literature end up being a skinny girl?

Sure, there are the girls that are gangly skinny, but for the most part they are svelt. Even in adult literature there are very few women who I think represent a "normal" size girl. This is one thing that Charlaine Harris actually does really well in the Sookie books. Sookie is a size 8-10 and she owns it. The girl is loved by vampires, fierce, and she rocks a size that isn't the same as a mannequin.

But then there are others in which there is the lead chubby girl, but she is almost whiny and constantly harps on the fact that she is the big girl, but still ends up finding a guy that loves her anyway. I used to read these books and then I just got tired of the big girl whining. Yeah, I may be chubby too, but I don't want that to be the focus of the book. Give me a character with curves that kicks butt like a Sookie Stackhouse!

The skinny bitch isn't just regulated to the main character, most of the mean girls are also stick figures with a big rack who harp on the main character. This is what I love about Awkward (the TV show on MTV). Sadie Saxton is a mean girl, but Sadie Saxton is actually a little bit bigger. There have been episodes in which they talk about Sadie's size, but the whole point of her being bigger isn't her identity. Sadie is a straight up mean girl and she owns it. She owns that she's a big girl and she owns the fact that she can take down other girls.

This is actually why in HOW TO BREAK UP WITH AN ALIEN I made the mean girl NOT a skinny bitch or a cheerleader. Gemma is a curvy rugby player with a gruff voice. She's a bit racist and has some snaps at Alex that are unnecessary, but Alex is a tough chick puts those to a halt (and hopefully the reader learns that derogatory names are not cool).

What do you think of the skinny bitch in YA? Do you think it's getting better and more progressive?

Friday, June 29, 2012

Coffee Talk with Kira from Open Minds

Alex: Alright, Kira, since this is coffee talk let’s start out with what’s your coffee drink of choice?

Kira: Just straight black, but usually I don’t drink coffee. I don’t like anything that might interfere with my mindjacking mental processes– I have enough problems with that as it is.

Alex: Okay, now onto the questions. This session I actually some requests on what to ask you. The first one being what is it like to be a ‘keeper’ mindjacker? I thought I had issues with dating an alien, but that sounds even crazier!

Kira: Being a keeper means that I can “keep” my thoughts – in other words, other mindjackers can’t jack into my head, although I can jack into theirs. (Not that they particularly like this.) They say my head is really “hard” because jacking is like a physical thing – I reach out and plunge into other people’s brains. Ew, right? This revolutionary jacker named Julian says that it’s the interference of our mind fields that causes the sensation. To me, it just feels like plunging my hand into a bowl of goo. My brain barrier is so hard that no one can get through, so being a keeper means I can’t be controlled by other jackers, at least mentally. They don’t seem to hesitate trying to kill me in other ways, though.

Alex: Since I’m in to politics and with all the political pressures in jacking, what do you see the future being like for mindjackers and readers alike?

Kira: I wish that mindjackers and mindreaders could just get along, but I don’t see that happening any time soon. Mindreaders seem to think every mindjacker is some kind of sociopath that would control them into doing horrible things. Most of us just want to be left alone and able to lead normal lives. But politicians like Senator Vellus are bent on stirring up the hatred, playing on people’s worst fears. I really hate that guy. I mean, seriously hate him. I’d probably poison his coffee, if I could. Just sayin …

Alex: Whoa, heavy stuff. With all that said, what do you think is the scariest mindjacking ability and why?

Kira: The creepiest jacking skill I’ve come across is Sasha’s ability to scribe people. He can literally rewrite your entire mind in a minute, erasing memories, changing habits, rewriting your entire personality. He can make you into a completely different person. It’s like you’re dead, only you’re not – you’re someone else. *shudder* Just thinking about it gives me the creeps.

Alex: Ack! Not to be nosey, but how does that affect your relationships? Romantic and otherwise? How does your other half feel about all this?

Kira: My boyfriend Raf is awesome – he’s a mindreader, but he knows that jackers aren’t all evil. He loves me, after all, and I’m one of the weirder ones. It’s true that I could jack him and he couldn’t do anything about it – but I would never do that. I don’t even link into his head and share thoughts unless I know he wants me to. Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean that you will, or that you want to, you know? I mean, I could take this coffee and throw it in your face, right? But I don’t because, well, that would be insane, and really not very nice. Jacking is like that – just because you can do it, doesn’t mean you have to go around, being crazy all the time. Most mindreaders don’t understand that, but Raf does.

Alex: I promise I’ve totally been paying attention to you, but I noticed the giant Mike Tyson like tattoo on your face. Does that come off? No offense or anything, just not used to seeing facial tattoos here in Winnebago.

Kira: *laughs* Yeah, well, distraction is kind of the point. I was pretty famous there for a while, and some people weren’t too keen on me telling the world that mindjackers exist. So, I’ve been keeping a low profile, trying to disguise the face that got plastered all over the tru-casts 24/7 for like weeks. But yeah, it will fade eventually. It’s just a synth-tattoo – they only last about 3-4 months. Then I’ll have to get a new one. Or, if I’m really lucky, I won’t have to hide anymore.

Alex: Okay, I understand all the privacy and the political repercussions of the mind jacker stuff, but one last question. If you could go back to the beginning and take all of your abilities back, would you do it and why?

Kira: If I could have stayed a zero – just someone who couldn’t read minds or be read by others – I would totally do that. This mindjacking thing … it’s been nothing but trouble, ever since it started. I don’t want to be able to control other people; it’s just the way I was born.

Alex: Thank you for joining me today for Coffee Talk and please don’t jack my mind when you leave!

Kira: Thanks so much for having me, Alex. And don’t worry, your mind is safe with me! But if you ever have someone bugging you, just let me know. I’ll take care of it for you. J

************************************

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.

Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.

See the Mindjack Trilogy website (mindjacktrilogy.com) for more information.
Mind Games (prequel short story to Open Minds)Open Minds (Book One)Closed Hearts (Book Two

Friday, March 23, 2012

Spider Wars: My Favorite novel of 2012

The second book in the Lords of Shifters series, Spider Wars, is now available!

What happens when a species is tired of being stomped on?

Jess' life has never been ordinary. After all, life on the road with an immortal family of gypsies is hardly predictable. Living in the small town of White Salmon, Washington has brought some normality to her life. But when her cheating, sometimes boyfriend, Nicu, gets involved with a group of arachneshifters, life gets a little sticky. Will she be able to save him from the web he's spun? More importantly, how much is she willing to risk to get him back?

This novel is meant for mature readers.

Available now on Amazon.com and Smashwords.

http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Wars-Lords-Shifters-ebook/dp/B007K3Y34O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1331783817&sr=1-1

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/141728

For a limited time, you can get the first book in the series, Loramendi's Story for FREE on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Loramendis-Story-Lords-Shifters-ebook/dp/B005FR1D9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331785218&sr=8-1

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Prepare for a YA Scavenger Hunt!

Ready. Set. PARTY!!!, author of the amazing TIGER'S CURSE series is hosting another YA Scavenger Hunt. These things are awesome and I'm super excited to be a part of it.

The HUNT (click on the link for the details) officially starts on March 29th at noon, and goes until noon on April 1st - 72 hours of pure F.U.N. The prizes are incredible. Even more exciting is the bonus material.

Here's a list of the authors participating and their book covers. Enjoy!!!