young adult novels

A Jurassically good feeling…my 4 favorite Crichton reads in honor of Jurassic World

/ AuthorMeganCox / 1 Comment

I’m obsessed. Just like my two-year-old, I am giddy for dinosaurs. Specifically? Dinosaurs originating from Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park.

It doesn’t hurt that I love dabbling in genetics in my own young adult SciFi work. Last week, when I first saw the new trailer for Jurassic World, I felt that old stab of excitement that would come as a teenager/young adult whenever a new Crichton novel made its way to the big screen. Here’s a rundown of my top five.

big-jurassicparkJurassic Park – I was a nerdy seventh-grader when my family went to see the movie version in London. London, you say? Yes, London. My dad’s job nearly moved our family there, and we were in the UK house hunting (we ended up staying in Atlanta, which is cool, because I started competitive figure skating). While I was petrified during most of the movie (I have never been good with the idea of gore, my empathy for characters sometimes getting the better of me), I LOVED it, and when it came out on video–remember video?–I watched it until it ran scratchy. Oh right…and I read the book, you know, a million times–noting it was even better:)

big-congoCongo – Okay, its not that the lead actor was totally dreamy or Amy the gorilla was astonishing. It was the crazy suspense I discovered in the second Crichton book I read. He had me on the edge of my seat again…and again and again! I realized it wasn’t just the magic of Jurassic Park. This was my first introduction to an author’s style. Crichton combined science and thrilling plots that made me happy in my nerdy ways, and also craving so much more.

big-sphereSphere – The movie version almost ruined this one for me. Also, I had to hide the book so my mom wouldn’t pick it up and realize the “F” word had been used liberally. I felt so dangerous for reading such a novel in a rather conservative home. There’s so much mystery in this novel! Who is talking to them? What is going on? Is anyone at all going to make it out of this underwater tomb? My fear of being trapped under the surface of the water and caustrophia only added to the thrill of this novel. The worn version I inhaled still sits on my shelf (I’ve bought shinier, newer copies of most of the others, because most were from the library).

big-timelineTimeline – Another MC novel where the movie tried to ruin the shockingly good plot and characters Crichton put together . (However, I miss you, Paul Walker – another person leaving us far too early.) Not only did Crichton take on quantum physics (I don’t know if he did it well; I make no claim to understanding physics), but he took on history in the form of time travel. It was like he opened a fan letter from my mind that read, “Dear Michael. You Rock. Science is awesome. But could you dabble in time travel?” With that mix, and hints of Wells’ Time Machine, this novel easily made me remember why Crichton’s work would always be a favorite of mine.

I miss you, MC. You rocked!

Author Blog Hop! (boing, boing, boing)

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I love hippity hopping for author blog hops, so imagine my excitement when author and friend L.M. Fry asked me to participate in one. Hooray! Besides, who doesn’t like answering questions about him or herself:) Hope my answers give you some insight into this crazy land known as my writer’s brain! And check out the author springboarding off my post…children’s book author Susan Meyers.

1. What am I working on right now?

I’m in what I call an “editing break.” I recently completed a young adult contemporary that covers hate speech, and I’m gearing up for a science fiction novel with series potential that will include some complex world-building, as well as a contemporary YA thriller collaboration with the aforementioned Fry. So, to relax, I edit older works of mine that haven’t been published yet. Yep. I know. Weird-o.  Oh! Also, I’m working with my exceptionally awesome agent, Kaylee Davis, to edit one of my YA contemporary novels and prepare it for pitching.

2. How does my work differ from others in the genre?

I like to write conversationally. I want my characters to feel like someone you’d meet at a high school, so when the fantastic happens, it’s more believable. My style’s just a bit on the unconventional side, but I really believe in finding your own voice in this biz.

3. Why do I write what I do?

The young adult genre is like a big bag of awesome. Action? Check. Romance? Check. High stakes drama? Check. The need for humor? Check. Check. I may dabble in some adult fiction next year, but I’ll never leave those teen years behind (insert song from Peter Pan about not growing up here). My teen years defined so much of who I am now (I also fell in love with my husband of twelve years–and counting–at age nineteen), so I really enjoy exploring the decisions and situations that influence that time in our lives.

4. How does my writing process work?

Usually, an idea simmers for over a year before I take it on (because I’m writing ideas from the year before!). Then, when I’m on an “editing break,” I outline it–about five to six intense pages of plot and subplot points. Next, I write like a maniac for about eight weeks straight. Then it goes like this for another two months or so: Edit. Work on something else. Edit. Work on something else. Send to my personal editor (my mom, people!–she’s pretty tough) for any stealthy typos or plot holes. Read on my Kindle. Maybe run some pages by my critique group. Revise, revise. It’s never done until I send it to an industry professional and it’s out of my hands.

And you thought novel writing was easy peasy. (Pffft!)

But man, people. This is the life. And next week, hop on over to Susan Meyer’s post, as well as John Davidson’s, who is spring boarding off L.M. Fry’s post.

Cheers:)

Science Fiction – Sensationalism, or social cautioning?

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Recently, I reread Russ Hodge’s The Future of Genetics. I used the book to inform my newest contemporary sci-fi trilogy, which deals with the ethics and concerns about genetically engineering the human species to be stronger. Hodge qualifies as an exceptional writer, able to discuss complex science and make it comprehendible to the more artsy-fartsy folks, like myself.

However, I will say I take issue with his slight emphasis on the problems sci-fi writers have caused. He implies that writers sensationalize much too often, stripping scientific researchers of their morals and giving in to hubris to take science beyond acceptable ethical standards. I can see where this would be a problem–always vilifying scientists/researchers and creating fear of scientific discovery.

But I do take issue.

Science fiction serves an important role in our social discourse. Just as a scientist designs an experiment to observe outcomes, a writer models social settings and advancements in science to create ethical dilemmas affecting outcomes for humanity. As writers, we do need to consider whether we are condemning the advancements in science more than celebrating them. This is an important point.

I would argue that books such as Jurassic Park help us think about the outcome of certain variables–in a sense, not learning from history, but from the possible futures we can affect. That is, we should not be afraid of scientific advancement, but realize when the pursuit of knowledge and enhancement will create vast voids between members of our species or negatively affect our fragile eco-system.

Science moves us forward. That is not to be argued against. Strides forward in genetics have led to the treatment of deadly diseases, among other advancements. (However, these treatments are still inequitable – available only to those who have access). But we must weigh the issue carefully. Things like nuclear bombs and biochemical warfare are also products of science. Technology, an amazing piece of our social fabric, comes with its own set of issues (i.e., in the Matched trilogy, people no longer handwrite things, and since computers are monitored, there is no freedom outside the government eyes. In our current society, handwriting is already on the chopping block of school curriculum!).

Science fiction and the dystopian futures it suggests have social value. Writers create the fantastical, spurring the mind to consider and weigh future decisions we must make about our pursuit of advancements and any ethical concerns that accompany those decisions. Yes, writers have social responsibility to represent science (and scientists) in a truthful light and to create rich stories that don’t draw an arbitrary line between black and white. But novels have the power to evoke great emotion, which is why they have the power to make us think and reach beyond the normal everyday.

And that human capacity, I believe, is the reason we pursue science in the first place.

School visits – Ten things every author should know

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photo3As an author who specializes in writing fiction for the younger generation, I know that a good portion of speaking engagements will be with that younger generation (more specifically, middle and high schoolers). Now, with a few of those (terrifying!) experiences under my belt, I’d like to help my fellow writers out with a  brief checklist that will keep the word “boring” or  “awkward” far from those teens’ thoughts!

1. Be yourself. When I was getting ready for a day at a high school recently, I put on a boring pendant in place of the quirky necklace I love. Five minutes later, I swapped out the pendant for my fave. I told you that to say this: Be yourself. Show your writing through your style and in your presentation. If you write quirky stories, don’t be afraid to be quirky. I’ve found in my visits that the “reading” students often have the funniest, biggest personalities. They’ll appreciate someone who isn’t afraid to be just what we are–crazy writers:) And you might get a compliment on that necklace!

2. Just say no to death by PowerPoint. Unless you have the funniest slides, like, ever, just don’t do it.

3. Talk about your book. It wasn’t until I was about ten minutes into several of my talks that some teenager would raise his or her hand and say, “So what is your book about?” Oops. As much as I want to inspire others to write and talk about getting into the biz, getting down to the nitty gritty, that is, the book, is an important part of why you’re there.

4. Know your–ahem–stuff. At one point, I was talking about the “big five” publishers, and a kid asked me who they were. I mixed two of them up, and even if those kids don’t fact check me, it’s a failing on my part not to know my business like the back of my hand.

5. Know the rules. Thankfully, I have successfully reminded myself each time to remember that this is a school. As a visitor, I need to keep my speech to the point, which includes my books, what it’s like to be a writer, and the publishing biz. Topics such as religion and politics are off the table. I have had some success discussing the purpose of foul language in writing and how the kids respond to it, but that’s about as far as I feel I should go. I’ll leave heavier debates for the people who know the parameters better than I do. That’s right–those hard working teachers!

6. Do some research – Part I: Know your audience. Are they an English class? Creative writing class? What’s the school’s mascot? If you have a chance to speak with the teacher, what are the kids working on or reading? All of this knowledge opens doors for you to connect with your audience.

7. Do some research – Part II: Use this opportunity to connect with the very people you’re writing for! I ask the audience plenty of questions about their favorite books, authors, and genres. What do they like or not like in a book? In the meantime, I’m also engaging them.

8. Which leads me to…don’t talk the whole time! Twenty minutes is about the max for anyone to sit and listen to a speech. It is. So, if you have a longer presentation, you’d better break it up if you don’t want students to use your talk as sleep catch-up time. Give them fun writing exercises, or even a book quiz where they can win a prize (your book maybe?). Or, make sure to keep most of the discussion Q&A, addressing their interests instead of just what you think is interesting.

9. No PowerPoint. Did I say this already? Anyway, you hate it, I hate it, they hate it. If you want graphics, use the Internet creatively or very visual PP slides, at the least.

10. Have fun. Kids are crazy smart. They’ll know if you are enjoying yourself, so make the experience as fun for you as you hope it will be for them, and everyone will win.