4.25.2011

U is for Uplifting

There's been a lot of discussion around the blogosphere and yes, in my own head, about edgy, dark (inc. dystopian and "issue") YA books. Even as you read that sentence, I bet you can think of a few. If you're a YA writer, you should immediately think of more than a few, in fact. and I'm not JUST saying that because my son's been watching Deathly Hallows Part I non-stop for the past week, I swear!

What about the happy? What about the uplifting, hopeful, fun, happy message we (okay, I, this is my opinion here) you do realize this is erica, right? want our kids to believe in?? Bring me that. I want it. I need it. It's almost summer and I don't necessarily need utopia, but I do want uplifting!! Publish your happy books and I will buy them and read them and recommend them yes, I am aware that the last three authors I blogged about wrote books about death, but hey, no one brought me happy or I'd talk about that, too!!!!




I took this from my front porch two years ago and it's one of my favorite pictures ever

I'm proud that my first ms is a happy, fun "beach read" (these are my own words, and no, not a logline :).

I need more. Know any other happy, fun beach reads that I can read this summer? Please share in the comments (or, you know, profess your undying love of dark books. I'll read them next winter, hehe).

Did I mention that Christy wants me to post a book/author starting with the appointed letter each and every day we post in April? Did I mention the end of the alphabet is hard? Well, if not, consider it mentioned. I'm just glad she's got V, X, and Z (there was a method to my madness of overtaking P and R last week on her days - ha!).

This is a U book I've read. I love Stephen King, but he does NOT inspire happy in me. Seriously, I need you guys to start to write happy!! Save me from my own melodrama!!

by Stephen King Under the Dome, A Novel 1 edition

20 comments:

  1. I haven't written any dystopian yet, but all my works have down moments. But also many 'up' moments :)

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  2. Read Sarah Dessen - her books are wonderful and though they have issues, they usually end well :)

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  3. I love both happy books and twisted darker books. If it's a good story with a great character - then I'll read it!

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  4. This blog looks awesome, I'm glad I found it! As far as darker, dystopian books (which I LOVE!) - I think there IS something uplifting in those. You're usually just showing it by contrasting. Readers will be glad they don't live in that world, evaluate why, and be thankful for what they have! Hopefully. =)

    - allison writes

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  5. I've love both the light and the dark. I'd get bored of a diet of just one kind of novel. As long as the book has some romance in it, I'm happy. :D

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  6. My finished ms is considered an issue book, but it's about hope and definitely has uplifting moments. My current wip has plenty of drama and tension, but is overall a happy book, too. No dystopian for this mama. I'll leave that for others.

    Happy Reading!

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  7. I love the dark, edgy reads, but I do tend to balance them with the happy ones. If you haven't read Anna And The French Kiss, you should. It's one you can't help smiling through.

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  8. I like dark books, but get annoyed if they don't end happy.
    Wagging Tales - Blog for Writers

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  9. I read Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen and liked it!! And I can't not mention my alltime favorite YA reads: The Sisterhood of the Traveling pants series!! :) I don't real a ton of YA...but if you're looking for something really fun, I adored Meg Cabot's Queen of Babble series, which is chick lit/women's fiction. Anna and the French Kiss on on my TBR pile!

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  10. I write for children, so all of my dark books end with happy ever after! :0)

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  11. well, I gotta say, that MS that I got the initial offer on was a happy book. I got a total of 15 full MS requests for it, and the message from agent feedback was that it would be hard to sell.

    Kids want drama, tension, fear, etc., right now. Or at least the agents/publishers do... :D

    but I'm with you. Variety is the spice of life. So MS #1 hasn't gone away~

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  12. My idea of happy is either comedy- which I personally have a hard time writing in a story or poetry, or kids books. I just finished a rewrite of John Keats "Lamia" which is a kind of dark poem from the 19th century about a snake that is turned into a woman- I rewrote it as a childrens book about a snake that used to be a princess. :)

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  13. I'm with you, Erica--love and need happy. There's a reason or two you don't see many happy books published and revered, though. One is they are HARD TO WRITE WELL. I'm putting funny in this category, too. Know why there are so few Carl Hiaasens or Janet Evanoviches? Because it's HARD to do that and get away with it. You've got to be really good. I think it's like what actors say about drama vs. comedy: it's SO much harder to do comedy well.

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  14. Couldn't agree more Erica. :O)

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  15. Erica, I need my regular comedy dose in the form of books and TV. So I totally connect. :-)

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  16. You're right, there aren't a lot of happy, fun reads lately. The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder is an excellent fun read that just debuted. Popular by Alissa Grosso is debuting next month too!

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  17. Thanks for the suggestions - I forgot about Anna and the French Kiss, now it's on my TBR, too - and Alissa's book for sure (Gae Polisner is in her book trailer, btw) when it gets here.

    Leigh - that's so sad. >:(

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  18. Dystopian seems to be the trend nowadays thanks to the very popular hunger games.
    Great meeting you gals through the A-Z! Looking forward to reading more.
    nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  19. I like the fun adventure type stories best so that tends to be the type of story I write. There's still a whole bunch of conflict in my stories without the dark edge or heavy violence.

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