In honor of Saint Patrick’s Day, YA Highway wants us to all write a limerick about our favorite books and/or works in progress.

Holy commas! This one was hard. Apparently I have lost my touch since my stellar Freshman-Year-English-Class limerick. Of course, my determination to write one for both a WIP and my favorite book didn’t make the task any easier.

Are you ready? (I don’t think you really are.) Here we go…

Crime & Punishment:

He thought he could kill without guilt
Now the house of cards that he built
is starting to fall.
Now only a call
girl can help him to fix the tilt.

Jack the Reaper

There once was a girl named Jack
whose family was kind of wack.
They’d get orders to kill
and they’d have to fulfill,
’cause reapers aren’t cut any slack.

There you have it; my mad limerick skillz at work. Want to join in the fun? Head over to YA Highway and share a limerick of your own.

And now (this is where the eye candy comes in), behold:

It is a thing of beauty

This will be added to my Russian Books shelf as soon as I can get my grubby little mitts on it. I loved the book in English and can’t wait to experience it in Russian. Plus, the cover is so pretty I will even forgive the brunette head on it (which, while beautiful, does not match the pale blonde main character at all).

What’s that? Not everybody reads Russian and I should probably explain what this is? Okay. Wings by Aprilynne Pike (um, does she have a great name or what?). Go check it out; it is a seriously good read.

The rest of this might be slightly eye-glaze inducing for you if you are not a writer, but it is way too fun for me not to share. The talented Jackson Pearce (have I mentioned yet how much I love her book) corralled 28 YA authors to give their best advice for this great video. It is a must watch for any aspiring author. Also, it is probably a lot funnier if you remember the original.

Jackson’s Description and Participants:

28 YA Authors give you advice on writing, publishing, and everything in-between. And they do it TO SONG.
(This is yet another reason why YA authors are the coolest subspecies of author.)

Authors, in order of appearance:
Jackson Pearce (AS YOU WISH, SISTERS RED)
Kristina Springer (THE ESPRESSOLOGIST)
Aimee Friedman (SEA CHANGE)
John Claude Bemis (THE NINE POUND HAMMER)
Cyn Balog (FAIRY TALE, SLEEPLESS)
Barry Lyga (GOTH GIRL RISING)
Ally Carter (GALLAGHER GIRLS series, HEIST SOCIETY)
Aprilynne Pike (WINGS, SPELLS)
Shani Petroff (BEDEVILED)
Carrie Ryan (THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH)
Neesha Meminger (SHINE COCONUT MOON)
Jaclyn Dolamore (MAGIC UNDER GLASS)
Brenna Yovanoff (THE REPLACEMENT)
Margaret Stohl (BEAUTIFUL CREATURES)
Erin Dionne (THE TOTAL TRAGEDY OF A GIRL NAMED HAMLET)
Maggie Stiefvater (SHIVER)
Jennifer Jabaley (LIPSTICK APOLOGY)
Michelle Zink (PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS)
Jessica Burkhart (CANTERWOOD CREST series)
R.J. Anderson (KNIFE, REBEL)
Kami Garcia (BEAUTIFUL CREATURES)
Jenny Moss (WINNIE’S WAR, SHADOW)
Tessa Gratton (BLOOD MAGIC)
Lauren Bjorkman (MY INVENTED LIFE)
Becca Fitzpatrick (HUSH HUSH)
L.K. Madigan (FLASH BURNOUT)
Sarah Prineas (THE MAGIC THIEF series)
Saundra Mitchell (SHADOWED SUMMER)
Javier Ruescas (CUENTOS DE BERETH)

Original song performed by Baz Luhrman, written by Timothy John Cox and Nigel Andrew Swanston. Parodied by me with the help of a microphone and a karaoke track!

***

I should go back to my last post and add heed the advice in this video to my list of goals. This is some seriously good stuff here!

I have thought a lot this week about what constitutes a great book. Just the classics? Only popular works? Who declares a book great? Well, in my life, I do the declaring.

To me, a great book has many different qualities. The writing is superb and it has a timeless sense to it. The characters have depth and the story meaning. But the most important thing about a great book? The thing that really makes it great not just good or well done? Impact. Great books touch me. They speak to my soul and resonate with my being. When I finish reading a great book, I may put it down, but I never put it away. Great books don’t allow me to put them away. They stay with me, haunting my remembrance until one day I pick them up again. A great book changes me, if only minutely.

I love great books.

Today’s prompt is another tough one. Those NAIWE folks sure know how to make a girl think!

When I want to give someone a special gift, I give them … because…

I have no one answer for this question. When I give a special gifts, I try to find what book will be the most special to the person I am giving it to. This is not the same for all people. Sometimes the most special of gifts is the one nobody else would have thought of.*

Since it is pretty much impossible for me to say what book I would give someone without knowing who that specific someone is, I am going to answer this question a little differently.

These are the great books I have recommended/gifted a LOT recently:

My mom lent me her copy of this book, insisting I would love it. Boy was she right! I couldn’t put it down. Diane Setterfield weaves an intriguing story, with all the necessities of a great gothic novel. This book is beautifully and masterfully written. Since first reading The Thirteenth Tale, I have pushed it into the hands of anyone who will listen long enough. I even demanded Bubba and I read it together (we usually try to stick to middle grade and young adult when we read to each other). This book is simply amazing.

If you read agent blogs, you have probably already heard many wonderful things about this book. I first heard about it on an agent’s blog. Then on another. And another. And another. All of these literary agents had great things to say about it. One of the blogs belonged to Garth Stein’s agent, so of course the book got rave reviews, but two other agents said they wished they had represented this book. After all that hype, I knew I had to read it. I actually ended up listening to the audiobook on a long drive-and didn’t want to get out of the car. Ever. All I wanted was to sit and listen to Enzo’s words. I cannot remember another time a book touched me in quite the way this one did. After finishing it, I immediately began recommending it. To everyone. Consider this my recommend to you: go out and get yourself a copy of The Art of Racing in the Rain. It is well worth it.

This is not a happy book. It is gritty and real and heartbreaking and beautiful. I was first introduced to Bastard Out of Carolina when I saw the movie on TV as a kid. When I realized the movie was an adaptation of a novel, I sought out the book. I have read this book multiple times, and every time it cuts me to the core. My heart breaks for poor Bone, the young narrator. I cry, I cringe, I stew with anger. I love. This is a haunting story of a young girl just trying to fit in the world and be loved by the mother who is not strong enough to care for her. Bastard Out of Carolina is not for the weak of heart,  but it is a great read for anyone who likes a little truth.

Have you heard about this one enough yet? There is really not much for me to add about Crime and Punishment. In case you missed that I love it, I totally do. I recommend this book quite frequently (always the Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky translation). If you haven’t read this book yet, repent and get a copy. Seriously.

Okay, I think I gave enough suggestions to keep my followers busy for a while!

*For my high school graduation, my sister Rani gave me a copy of Space Cat (complete with an upside-down, backwards note:) ). Is it a great book? Not really, but it was one of the most memorable gifts I have ever gotten.

***

If you are wondering what the craptastic tag on this post is all about, read this blog post about Victoria’s Secret being disgusting and discriminatory and find out.

I hated … when I had to read it in high school, but when I read it on my own later, I loved it because….

My junior year of high school, I was in Honors English. We all thought our teacher, Miss Karnop, was completely evil (I had her for AP English senior year as well–she wasn’t so evil that year…she was actually pretty cool). While none of the books we read stand out as being particularly enjoyable, one does stand out as being more miserable than the rest.

Pretty sure we read the Constance Garnett translation in high school. This is a better translation.

We took well over a month (and possibly even more than two) to get through Crime and Punishment as a class. Every chapter was analyzed, every scene picked apart. Single sentences were scrutinized for full class periods. Often, class time was spent on one single word, trying to discern why Dostoevsky used it (was I really the only one who remembered we were working off a translation and not Dostoevsky’s words?).

I loathed every single second we spent on Crime and Punishment that year.

***

Fast forward two years. I am finishing up my first semester of college–and my first Russian language course. Summer is fast approaching and I need a good book. I head to the trusty bookstore to look over their shelves. My eyes alight on a shiny new copy of Crime and Punishment. ‘Well,’ I think, ‘my Russian class was interesting. Perhaps now that I have a better knowledge of the language and culture I will enjoy it more.’ I leave the store with Crime and Punishment tucked under one arm.

***

So, as I traveled to Hawai’i, I read the book again. And I freakin’ LOVED it.

The story! The characters! The depth! The beautiful writing! The biblical allusions! The amazing, amazing, amazing book! (The exclamation points!)

I love Crime and Punishment. Once I read it freely, without all the intensive scrutiny, I was finally able to see it for what it really is: a wonderful, thought-provoking novel. In high school, I was overburdened with analysis and critiquing. I was unable to look past the assignments we were given to just enjoy Dostoevsky’s story. Which is really sad; it is definitely a story worth enjoying.

Have you ever read Crime and Punishment? Leave a comment; let me know what you think of it.

Today’s Prompt:

If I were stranded alone on a deserted island with only seven books to read over the next few years, I would like to have…

1. The Scriptures
   I would definitely cheat on this one and bring my quad set. Can’t use up any of my seven on separate scripture books, no matter how convenient they are for cross-referencing. The reasoning behind this choice is pretty obvious.
2. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
   This is my favorite book. Ever. I have read it in four different translations, and will soon be able to read it in the original Russian. The psychology of Raskolnikov is haunting; the philosophy of crime intriguing. I find something new and profound in Crime and Punishment every time I read it. I absolutely love this book.
3. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
   East of Eden is a close contender for the title of my favorite book. I am a huge Steinbeck fan, and I consider this to be his best book. It tells a familiar story (that of Cain and Abel) in a compelling and thrilling way. Even after spending 600 pages with the Trask and Hamilton families, I always finish this book wanting more.
4. Oddkins by Dean Koontz
   My mom read this book to my sister and I when we were kids. I loved it so much that I felt I needed a copy of my own. I searched and searched but could not find it anywhere. Eventually I decided I would have to order one online. If you follow the link above, you will see that a new copy of this book is not cheap! Anyway, long story short: my mom gave me the very copy she read to me as a kid for my birthday one year. It was one of the first books Bubba and I ever read together; I loved it just as much then as I did as a kid. The story is captivating. The illustrations are grand. This is a wonderful book!
5. The Thief of Always by Clive Barker
   My mom gave me this book (her own copy again) the same birthday she gave me Oddkins. I must have borrowed The Thief of Always from her ten times when I was growing up. The story is odd, dark, and twisted. And lovely. This is a great book to get lost in.
6. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
   I didn’t particularly care for Jane Eyre the first time I read it. I had to read it (and journal about it) for a summer assignment before my sophomore year in high school. I was not impressed and could not figure out what all the hype was about. Then, a couple of years ago, I had a major surgery. Before I went in, I bought a couple books. I don’t know what prompted me, but I picked up a copy of Jane Eyre, thinking I should give it another try. I am so glad I did! Even in my drugged state, I finished it in 2 days. It has been on my list of favorites ever since.
7. The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White (tucked into a giant notebook)
   The great thing about being a writer is: if I am ever stuck on a deserted island, even if I can only have seven books, I have an unlimited number of stories. A few years with no distractions would be great for writing! So, my last book is one of my own. One not yet written. One probably not yet imagined. Of course, The Elements of Style gets to stowaway in my notebook. Being stranded alone on an island is no excuse to get lazy in my writing.

*Oops. I guess  my new blog feature will begin next Tuesday, after Great Books Week.

Yesterday when I got home, I took some time to look around our house. Disgusting. I have been pushing aside real life responsibilities for manic writing for a bit too long. So, I declared this week “Rachel has a real life week” (AKA “Get this pit cleaned up week”). I am on a writing hiatus this week* so I can focus on all the things I have pushed aside for writing the last few weeks (okay, okay months). It will be tough, but I can do it! Bubba will be pleased to have his wife back. And, well, Critter and The Turds will be happy to not be living in a biohazard area.

Our linkage today has nothing to do with writing for once! Shocking, I know. But, this is something I am wildly passionate about, so I will share it:

Phones in theatres. NO. BUENO. People, no one spent their hard earned money to listen to your phone ring. It appalls me how many people refuse to turn their phones off in theatres. Apparently, some think text messaging is an okay thing to do since it is quiet. Well, let me tell you–that cell phone light in my face is just as irritating as the ringing. Here’s a thought: turn off the phone or don’t go to the theatre. Simple.

Okay. I will be calm now. Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig do a much better job addressing this problem than I do:

(Sorry…no more video. Trust me: it was good. The actors’ frustration was palpable–even through the computer screen.)

What amazes me the most is how long the phone continues to ring after the actor gets so fed up he actually stops the play!

I cannot wait for the day when all theatres adopt the Russian theatre plan of making cellular use impossible.

*Who am I kidding? There won’t be a complete writing hiatus, and we all know it. I will still write all I can during work (shhh, don’t tell) and lunch hour. Once I get home, however, I will focus on other things. Or at least pretend to.