Sometimes it’s not until after a book that I realize it’s problems. And The Miseducation of Cameron Post did have problems with the fact that her making out with a college girl wasn’t talked of as a damaging thing. I have edited my review to reflect that more, and in the future I will think carefully before reviewing books. When the problem with the book is that type of problem, then it is very important to point out that.
Review: The Miseducation of Cameron Post
I finished this book in two days. Technically, less than that as I started it in the afternoon, then finished the next day when I woke up. It’s just one of those books that you absolutely cannot put down. But I’m not entirely sure if I liked it.
This is a spoiler free; there are vague mentions of some aspects, but nothing I would consider a spoiler that’s not alluded to in the description.
(From Goodreads)
When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief they’ll never know that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.
But that relief doesn’t last, and Cam is soon forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth and her well-intentioned but hopelessly old-fashioned grandmother. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and leaving well enough alone (as her grandmother might say), and Cam becomes an expert at both.
Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful, pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. She and Cam forge an unexpected and intense friendship–one that seems to leave room for something more to emerge. But just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to “fix” her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self–even if she’s not exactly sure who that is.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a stunning and unforgettable literary debut about discovering who you are and finding the courage to live life according to your own rules
My Thoughts
This isn’t a romance book. There is plenty of it, but is not centered on the character ending up with so and so. That was interesting. It’s realistic that a teenager wouldn’t meet their soul mate within fourteen years. At least that doesn’t happen very often. I really hope Cam met one eventually. Or at least met someone soon that treated her well.
Speaking of fourteen, I’m always a little squeamish (probably because I’m seventeen) when young teens have….erh, intense romantic scenes. This, like most YA books had that, and again, I was uncomfortable, especially as at one point Cameron has (not as intense, but more serious) moment with a college girl, Moria.
That is my real disagreement with the book. Since Cam was fourteen and Moria certainly wasn’t close in age, I wish that factor had been addressed more. I know they weren’t the romantic focus, but a age gap like that needs to be clearly shown to be dangerous. Teens need to know that.
It needed to be addressed more, because a fourteen year old and a eighteen year old (or older) is certainly wrong. People get upset over Tris and Four, but this is even more concerning. It’s sad, because if it weren’t for that, the book would have earned five stars.
All in All?
I strongly recommend it, giving it a 1/5 (points deducted for the college girl issue. With things like that, they play a hugely important role in ratings.)
In the other rating style I give it a PG: 13 or Teen.
Have you read the Education of Cameron Post? What were your thoughts on it?
An All About Writing Tag
On Nevillegirl’s blog she posted these questions for anyone to take and answer. And so I promptly decide I would, indeed, take them.
- What kind of music do you like to listen to while writing?
Usually instrumental– jazz or that music that is just…instrumental (behold my powers of description). Music like this.
2. What kind of music do you not like to listen to while writing? Why? Does it distract you or something?
Occasionally I will listen to music with lyrics and it helps if it fits with the story’s plot/theme/genre but it often just distracts me and sends me into a daydream; which is great when I need inspiration, but not so great when I need to put words into paper.
3. Who or what was the inspiration for the first character you ever wrote?
Ah, hmm….I think it was Heidi and Laura Ingalls? Because she lived on a hill in the alps, had three sisters, but it was in modern-day. Oh, and she was named Ann and her sister was Nan; which are basically variations on the same name.
….I was nine.
3. Do you usually have romance in your stories? Why or why not?
Yes…in the past I have written mostly family and friendship stories, but I’ve started to write romance. I often have trouble deciding who will be with who though; sometimes I know right away, but mostly I am confused. My Nano 12…well, I just abandoned it because my MC decided she actually liked the rebel pirate not her adviser.
Why? Often I just feel a romantic connection between their characters (in other words, they tell me they’re doing what they want so there). Also fluffy romance makes me extremely happy. I really want to just relax and write a modern-day book (no historical research or world building yay!) and write a silly but hopefully touching fluffy romance someday.
4. Which author(s) do you think you write like?
I honestly can not answer that. It is a befuddling question for me. Maybe a classic one? I was told once my style resembled that classical style.
5. Are your stories usually funny or serious?
They lean more toward the funny side, but also have serious moments. But usually the content I write is lighter, and I want to try an outright funny story/book.
6. What is the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?
To get an exact quote I would have to dig some stuff up, but the teacher that assesses how I have done over the year in homeschooling always raves about it, which makes me really pleased. My Mom/also is my teacher loved one of my recent stories and thought it beautiful.
7. What is the worst thing someone has ever said about your writing?
It was about my academic writing; a critiquer (am I spelling this wrong?) said one of my papers sounded like a rant (and I was sitting behind them when they were discussing it and ugh writing workshops make me anxious).
8. Why are all these questions about writing?
Because writing rocks, that’s why.
10.Would you rather own a castle or all the chocolate in the world?
Oh, wow. That’s a tough one. Castle, I suppose. I mean, it’s a castle.
I’m not going to tag anyone– whoever wants to may do them.
Questions:
- Is there a TV show/movie that, after watching, suddenly inspires you to write?
- Is there a book/author that does the same?
- Have you written poetry? What kind?
- What was the title of your first story?
- Historical or contemporary fiction?
- Romance or friendship stories?
- What kind of blog posts do you most enjoy writing?
- Short stories, novels or poetry (to write)? Why?
- What book do you first remember loving?
- Do you like sweet, salty or savory foods?
2014, 2014, 2014
It’s such a nicer sounding word than 2013, isn’t it?
“Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new
day with no mistakes in it yet?”
~Anne of Green Gables
Another year has gone by. It’s a always weird to me, January 1st, because the year truly is over. The holidays are over. And I’ll be seventeen, which leaves me one year until eighteen, which is more than a bit scary. But lets not dwell on that (though I have been for the last week, unfortunately for my poor family).
I’m not making any new years resolutions, because I never keep them, but I will try to post on this blog more. It was first year at community college this fall, so I can heap excuses on that, but it’s probably more down to laziness.
New Years Eve 2011 London (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)
As the new year has dawned, that means a new year of writing dawns. For me, that means fretting over if I can write a good novel, and writing a bunch of short stories to submit to collages for my portfolio. But I’d rather not think about colleges, really. But I do like to think about short stories– I work with them best. I haven’t developed my ability at planning out a complicated, long plots yet, so novels are hard.
I am going to try to clear out some old stuff on my Figment account, and start putting new content on there. I’ll probably put the stories I post up here too, as I’d love for you all to see them! And I’m taking English 101 this term, so ideally that would make me write more regularly, but it won’t be fiction, just essays. That could help in my blog posting skills though.
But enough about me. How has your past year been? What are your hopes for the new year?
Also, I have reached forty followers. Thank you so much all! And I promise a longer post next time.
Love,
Avon
The Inner Peace and Sunshine Award
I was nominated by Joan! Thank you so much! And sorry this is so late. I’m looking sheepish right now, I swear.
And now for seven things about the brilliant, amazing, yours truly.
1. I am a vegan–if I wasn’t allergic to eggs and dairy, I would just be a vegetarian though. And I still eat honey–but no gelatin, etc, and I don’t wear leather.
2. I’m in community collage. It is very weird. Mostly because I just realized I was one of the older kids at other activities I’m in now…but here, I’m not. At all. Also, it’s collage. That just feels weird.
3. I may or may not be addicted to tumblr.
4. I have a habit of getting really into TV shows and/or binge watching them. My current binge watch is the The Office–I’m on the finale of season four right now. Only five more seasons to go! (yes, it went for nine seasons. That fact makes me very happy.)
5. One of my favorite movies ever is Monsters Inc. When I was four, I went to see it in theaters as much as my parents would allow, then re-watched it on DVD (actually, I think it was VCR back then. Wow. I am old.) even more times. I was kinda obsessed with it. As you can imagine, I was rather emotional about Monsters University when I saw it.
6. I really like to write fluffy fanfiction–my original fiction more varies– and read fluffy stuff. I don’t really understand the dystopian trend right now–not to say I don’t like some of the books, I just don’t understand it. I prefer happier things, especially ones with humor.
7. I just started reading Les Miserables, and it’s fantastic!
Tagged:
T’hy’la
At last
they lingered on one away to the left, far back from the
road, dimly white with blossoming trees in the twilight of
the surrounding woods. Over it, in the stainless southwest
sky, a great crystal-white star was shining like a lamp of
guidance and promise.
–Anne of Green Gables, Chapter Two
I hope that disappearing for a couple months on you guys isn’t becoming a habit, as this is the second time I’ve be AWOL. I apologize for that. I took a sort of unplanned break from writing and blogging over the summer because of laziness and spent most of my time either outside, or, erh, on Tumblr (and watching TV shows). But now with NaNoWriMo drawing so close I can almost taste it, I’ve been getting back into gear.
As for what I’ve been watching the past months…well, if any of you are fans of the show you can probably guess from the title.
That’s right. Star Trek. I started watching it sometime in late June, after my sister pointed out it was on Instant play. I had been admittedly dismissive of it because I associated it with Star Wars—I am sorry, I just didn’t like. Personal taste.
But Star Trek. That is an entirely different story. I became literally obsessed, as did my mom (and my dad did a little too).
Now if you’ve never heard of Star Trek, here’s the gist of it: More than two-hundred years in the future, the Captain of the U.S.S Enterprise encounters beautiful alien woman, brilliant people gone bad, warrior races wearing pink feathers, along with his…friend and First Officer, Vulcan/Human Spock and the Chief Medical Officer, and friend, Leonard McCoy who seriously don’t get along. And of course, to boldly go where no one has gone before.
First Officer Spock, Captain Kirk, and Chief Medical Officer, McCoy
On a more serious note, it’s a sincerely uplifting show. Humanity, not humans, but ‘the quality of being humane; benevolence’ is one of the most important aspects of the show. So is the friendship of the three main characters, who undeniably are some of the most important people to each other. Diversity, too is a key element. An African American woman, a Japanese Man, and a Russian (this was filmed during the Cold War ) make up three members of the bridge crew. There is a shortage of woman on the ship, but the creator, Gene Roddenberry, wanted to have half woman, half men on the crew, however the network told him no, and he finally agreed after some arguing. One of the actors is also gay—George Takei, who plays Sulu– though he wasn’t out then. There may also be some other LGBTQ+ representation, but that all depends on who you ask. But I’ll get to that later.
The show is also possessed with the gift to have layers. All good books have more than one layer. You can read Jane Austen’s books from multiple perspectives, and the first time you read Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, Anne of Green Gables, take your pick, you read one thing, but then you see more and more things.
Star Trek is like that. And it’s wonderful.
I can watch an episode and enjoy the sci-fi, humanity aspect of it. Then, I watch it again, and I can see the romantic undertones between two of the characters, or the deep friendship between the characters. I can see it is a sci-fi based show, or a relationship based one, or both (which it is, really).
And like I said, it’s uplifting. As much as I love Doctor Who, it can be…well, it’s Doctor Who, and he’s a lonely, mad man wandering the galaxy and never staying with someone for as long as he’d like to. Star Trek…they’ve almost all said they are lonely at one point, but when it comes down to it? They aren’t. They have each other, and that’s a fact they couldn’t escape if they wanted to.
And now the relationship aspect brings me to Kirk and Spock. Or rather, Kirk/Spock.
In 1973, a woman wrote a romantic story featuring unnamed characters. (Side Warning: do NOT read it. I have heard it’s explicit and not appropriate for me or the target audience of my blog.)
It turned out the two characters were Kirk and Spock. And it spread. Oh, it spread. By 1987, thirty Kirk/Spock fanzines existed. And thus was born the term ‘slash’.
Slash is basically love between two characters of the same gender. It is called slash because, with romantic stories between Kirk and Spock people would put a ‘/’ between their names, whereas they’d put a ‘&’ sign to indicate friendship.
If you’re on Tumblr, you probably already know about slash and it’s background, so I’m not going to go on about it. This isn’t really going to be about slash. It’s going to be about Kirk and Spock.
With slash, it is often looked down on is something teen girls write and art about. Which, maybe, is true. The majority of the residence of Tumblr, the fandom site I frequent, are around fourteen to twenty-two. But what’s wrong with teen girls anyway? Nothing. Though, sometimes slash does gets out hand, and isn’t about the chemistry anymore, but the simple fact that the two men look good together or something, which probably is more offensive than anything to the LGBTQ+ community.
With Kirk and Spock though, there is something genuinely there. There is the reason it was the first published same-gendered pairing. It’s very unclear if it was intended or not, though I firmly believe there is a film editor, Fabien Tordjmann, who edited 22 episodes including some of the most romantic not exactly subtle episodes (I mean a 12 second stare off while smiling? ), that did it on purpose. I mean, when you watch those, he’d really have to have meant it. It’s terribly full of smiles, edited, most likely, to be aimed at each other, and long stares.
The two characters are deeply attached to each other, whatever your interpretation of their relationship is. There is love there, certainly, whatever the nature of it is. They are most likely the closest to each other than they are with anyone else. Kirk has willing been prepared to die for Spock, and I’m sure Spock would do the same—and Kirk is one of the few people that understands him. That understands he is human, and he is (very) Vulcan. He is not one or the other, or one that should be the other.
And intended or not, it’s a beautiful thing. Friendship or romantic, it’s a lovely, genuine, relationship.
T’hy’la: A Vulcan word created by Gene Roddenberry for the relationship of the characters Kirk and Spock.
Meaning: Friend, Brother, Lover.
On another note, I have almost 40 followers! Thanks so much guys! It means a lot!
Once I reach 50 giveaway. I’m not sure what–maybe a graphic, or critiquing the first chapter of something. If you have any ideas, let me know in the comments!
The Words in Your Head
“In imagination she sailed over storied seas that wash the distant shining shores of “faëry lands forlorn,” where lost Atlantis and Elysium lie, with the evening star for pilot, to the land of Heart’s Desire. And she was richer in those dreams than in realities; for things seen pass away, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
I’m quite good at imagining. I always have been. To Anne Shirley, as described above, imagining is dreams, games, and just something wonderful to do. Imagining is a game, and something I enjoy, but it is also stories. It’s one of the many ways I write my stories–there is a flaw to this method however though.
Imagine – NYC (Photo credit: Phillips_Jon)
I’m also quite good at having words flow from my head, making up stories as I walk along the sidewalk, or stare up at the ceiling at twelve in the morning, but when I’m plopped in front of a computer and keyboard, everything flies out of my head. It’s unfortunate and makes me wish for a literally tiny computer—not a iPod touch, but a miniature laptop—I could carry around in my pocket. Maybe the keyboard could even unfold to a normal size.
Also unfortunately, I’m not an inventor. I leave this idea to you, inventors of the world.
No really. Please invent it. I’d love it. Heck, maybe there is even something like that out there.
However, back to point. It’s incredibly hard to get the words out of my head, and on to a screen. I am not sure why. I lose them easily, and maybe I’m even a bit self conscious when typing them out, even though no one is reading them. However I read them, and I squirm, and wonder if they really are all that good.
And we all know one of our worst critics is ourselves.
NaNoWriMo even has a name for this—Your Inner Editor—and instructs you to hand it over to them so they can lock it away for a month.
I’m not even sure if that’s the core issue, my inner Editor. I just have a habit of…not blanking exactly, but something else I can’t quite pinpoint, in front of the computer—I didn’t used to do that as much, so it leads me to believe it perhaps started with my Editor being an annoyance and then promptly turned into a habit.
Does anyone else have this problem? Why? How do you deal with it? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
Late Researching
I may have been down for the 21st. And it may now be June.
Okay, I was, and it is. I really don’t have a good excuse other than…okay, I don’t really have a excuse. I had time. I just got distracted.
But, the theme. The theme for this month’s Teens Can Write Too blog chain is researching!
And researching, as a writer, can be very…erh, interesting. And rather alarming if you are a friend that is scrolling through the writer’s history…but why would you be doing that? That’s snooping!
Many writers, including me, have frequented the baby names sites, searches on bullet wounds, strange diseases, general wounds, oh, and broken bones. Injures/wounds/illnesses are all very popular. We love to make our characters suffer, apparently.
I remember some of my research being quite strange. Some is harmless–a word in a different language, a food recipe–while some is full of injuries, recovery time, different types of comas. When I think about it, most of my research is pretty tame compared to some. I guess I’ve been fairly nice to my characters? *cues characters yelling at me* Or not.
So, if you click on your writer friend’s history accidentally, don’t be alarmed. Really. Don’t.
Also, I apologize for this being a terribly short post. Again, I have no excuse.
Wow. Anniverseries.
There are so many epic anniverseries this year, I am not sure where to began.
Okay. I actually do know where to began…
Pride and Prejudice
The most beloved love story of all time. The book that makes everyone(erh, I actually don’t) long for a Mr. Darcy. The book that has one of the most amusing cast of characters. The book that uses hardly any description, which really boosts my ‘how I do on description’ esteem. Because, hey, everyone loves Pride and Prejudice and no one knows what Lizzie looks like.
But enough of that.
I first became acquainted with Lizzie Bennett when I was…four? Five? I just always remember watching the BBC miniseries, and eating tea sandwiches.
Man. I need to eat more of those. They are delicious.
To say I can quote Pride and Prejudice is probably true. We’re kind of big on Pride and Prejudice in my family. There are three woman after all in this family, but really, gender doesn’t matter in who likes it.
I read the book when I was thirteen–it was a easy read, really. Not all of Austen’s are. Emma was harder to get through, but at the same time it wasn’t…stiff or too different. That’s the beauty of Austen. We may be flying cars in the sky someday, and calling the moon our playground, but she will still speak of people, real people, that fit into empire waist dresses , jeans and a t-shirt, or a shiny futuristic outfit.
Lizzie is easily a modern woman, as demonstrated by the Lizzie Bennett diaries. Emma could easily reside on Tumblr. Catherine would read Twilight.
Pride and Prejudice is timeless. It always will be.
Doctor Who
I’m not entirely sure whats going on here.
Ah, Doctor Who. It’s 50th year is in 2013 and the Whovians are in a frenzy.
Well. I’m not sure if we’re in a frenzy. But we are excited. Very excited. I mean, David Tennant is coming back after all! And Tennant pretty much is a fan’s inspiration…he always wanted to play the Doctor, and he ended up doing so, as well is marrying his favorite Doctor’s daughter. I am not kidding.
For those of you who don’t know, Doctor Who is a science fiction show about an alien who travels through time and space in a police call box that is really infinite space ship. The space ship also happens to be alive, and slightly insane. He also regenerates aka changes bodies every so often.
Basically it’s kind of a quirky show that is really easy to start obsessing over. It has the potential to be timeless. Especially in Britain. I mean, if you call during Doctor Who the person on the other line is bound to yell at you.
It’s that popular.
The Doctor has had eleven bodies by now. The First was a grumpy older man(and he thinks he is dignified) who really got the essence of the Doctor. He is the first Doctor, the one who laid the path for the other Doctors.
Right now we have Eleven, who is a loveable goof ball that has a lot of limbs. Kiss him and they shall flair. All about.
People love Doctor Who because…there is usually something fun in it. There is humor, adventure, and a man in a box who is utterly mad but at the same time, utterly sane. And then sometimes there is no fun, and we all have a lot of feels. And then we’re mad at it.
I started watching him in 2010. I first watched a clip with one of the companions appearing in his TARDIS, yelling at him and him uttering confused “Whats?” Then I watched The Unearthly Child, which is the first episode. The unearthly child is, in fact, his granddaughter, Susan. The main Doctors I started with were Hartnell and Tennant, aka One and Ten. I think the first ever I saw of Doctor Who was simply a clip from the end of Doomsday, where Donna appears in the TARDIS and begins to yell at Ten.
Ah. A start of a beautiful friendship. No seriously, it was. Doctor Who is more than just a science fiction show filled with adventures. Yes, that is it’s core, but it also has beautiful friendships, grandparent/parental relationships, and an odd romance thrown in there every so often. And these relationships aren’t just between the Doctor and someone, they are between side characters, or companions.
It’s a pretty amazing show, and I will most likely tear up during the Anniversary special(I almost teared up during The Journey to the Center of the TARDIS after all. Especially if certain people make a surprise appearance.
So, yes. Anniversaries are upon us. Anniversaries of stories I have been surrounded by since a young child, that I only recently discovered. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did, if you don’t already.
The Award that Tells You That I Am Inspiring
Yep. I am.
Miss Alexandria, a wonderful blogger and steampunker, gave me a lovely award! Thank you! And you guys should, you know, go follow her.
Le Rules:
1. Display the Award Certificate on your website
2. Announce your win with a post and link to whoever presented your award
3. Present 15 awards to deserving bloggers
4. Drop them a comment to tip them off after you’ve linked them in the post
5. Post 7 interesting things about yourself.
Hmm. Seven interesting things…
1. I play the violin. Very basically however, and I hardly ever actually, you know, play it.
2. I have the habit of blanking when I am supposed to name my favorite books, a certain amount of them, etc. This is happening now.
3. I’ve written one novel. It seriously needs a lot of revising.
4. I am most proud of a character that I created in a steampunk roleplay. Edith. I may have mentioned her once or twice.
5. I love history. I am not that good at exact dates, but I love learning about people’s stories, or just…history. It’s fascinating.
6. I love listening to music–all kinds. It inspires me. Yet, I am not that musical.
7. I’m Christian. Non-denominational.
THE EPIC BLOGGERS
NevilleGirl Her blog is what introduced me to WordPress and the world of blogging, really. So she really deserves this.
Jasmine who I shall be seeing on Sunday! To say I am excited is a understatement.
Elyse who drew baby Gertra and I am still dying of adorableness.
Orphu Epic blogger and her posts are hilarious.
Kiwi who is very awesome, and a great Nanoer.
Vee who has a very lovely blog!
Ann, who also likes Artemis Fowl! That speaks highly of her awesomeness.
Thay, who has a blog(obviously) and you can not tell how happy that makes me.
Brittani, who was one of the first people I flaired (no, spell check, flaired is a real word) about House of Anubis with.
Sarah, who is epic. Also. SOUFFLES.
Miriam, who made me feel encouraged about revising/rewriting/second drafting.
Wren, who is very sweet and is a fellow actor!
Jordan, another fellow Nanoer!
Gabrielle, who likes classics and period dramas. Very good taste.
Avon's Babbles 