where’s a sequel when you want one?

The Book List is a short and fun meme that allows you to share books with the blogosphere and make a list. Who doesn't love lists (quiet, you!)? It is hosted weekly by Rebecca at Lost in Books.

This Week's Topic is: 3 books you wish had a sequel

I’ve never been one to beg for a sequel, even if the ending of a book seems ambiguous. I just let my imagination have free reign and savor what is actually written. But if I have to choose – and I do for the meme – I’m going to choose old favorites. I’ve imagined new endings for these books countless times as I’ve reread them over the years, but I’d love to know how the authors themselves envision their continuing stories (it they do at all).

1. The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristen D. Randle

Whenever people say they like ‘contemporary fiction’ best, I wonder a bit, and try to place a book that I love in the genre. Inevitably, I end up with this one. I wouldn’t mind knowing how Ginny and Caulder and Smitty end up, because I love them all so much.

2. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

As Neverwhere as a book ends, another adventure is already beginning for its characters. I’d love to follow the Marquis and all the other zany denizens of this novel on further adventures in London Below. I’m sure they’d be hilarious, dark, frightening, and joyous by turns.

3. Magic for Marigold by L.M. Montgomery

I will admit that I’ve always been a bit miffed that there wasn’t a follow-up book for this title. I mean, didn’t L.M. WRITE in series? I had that thought tucked away somewhere…oh wait, it’s a natural expectation, seeing as she wrote how many Anne books? *le sigh* Magic for Marigold leaves off in Marigold’s early adolescence. I know it’s too late now, but I’d love to know how she was meant to grow up, and maybe even grow old.

Can you name three books that you wish there were sequels for?

on naming things (but especially book characters)

Don’t let the title of this post fool you. I am not writing a book. I sort of was for about half of National Novel Writing Month, but no more. This post is about names and likeability and originality. What that means in real world terms is that’s they’re actually just my random thoughts, but I want to let them out into the world, to see if any of you think the same things (sometimes).

I have an uncommon-ish sort of name: Cecelia. It doesn’t show up much in art or literature. Fanny Burney, a contemporary of Jane Austen, wrote a novel called Cecilia, which I own but have never read. Forgive me – it’s 1,200+ pages of romance, counter-romance and mystery. I tried that with Anna Karenina and failed miserably. But there’s also a Simon & Garfunkel song called Cecilia, and I’d estimate that half of the people I meet for the first time spontaneously serenade me with it – regardless of the strength or quality of their singing voices.

And on top of that, my sister is called Virginia, or Ginny for short. Very slightly more common than Cecelia, but still an old-fashioned name, and rare in literature. It’s really no surprise then that when we find a novel, not to mention a GOOD novel, with one of our names in it, that we get a little excited. I can think of three shining examples of this (though I’m sure there are more and I’m just forgetting them).

The first is Kristen D. Randle’s The Only Alien on the Planet. The main character is Virginia, but she goes by Ginny, just as my sister does. I simply loved that book, and would have done so regardless of what the character’s name was. But since her name was Ginny, I could read it, discover its merit, and then pass it on to my sister, all the while knowing that she wouldn’t be able to resist a good book AND a character with her name (this was at a point where she refused to read anything I’d read).

And the second case is Robin McKinley’s The Blue Sword. The main character’s name in this novel is Harry – which is my dad’s name – and she’s a bit of a tomboy. But the book starts slowly, and I may have never gotten into the intense and adventurous bit if I hadn’t been caught by the mention of a ship called the Cecilia in the first couple pages. It’s the little things that keep you reading sometimes, and I’m very glad that I did read that book – it’s become a comfortable standard and McKinley one of my favorite authors of all time.

And the third example – another book that I haven’t read but have always meant to (as it was co-written by two seriously talented/favorite authors) is Sorcery and Cecelia, by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia C. Wrede. I’ve always wanted to cross-examine these authors, and ask how they came up with Cecelia – I mean, the name with my less-common spelling and everything! And also why I was unlucky enough at age 9 to have my mother find that book in my library stack and disapprove of it on sight. May have had something to do with ‘Sorcery’ in the title…but still. No excuse for why I haven’t read it since!

So – I have a few questions. Have you ever seen your name in a book? Did it make an impression? Were you more willing to like the book? If you haven’t found your name in a book yet, which genre will it most likely be found in?

Tell me your name and character stories!

and the only alien on the planet goes to...

And the randomly-generated winner of Kristen D. Randle’s The Only Alien on the Planet, a book filled with mysteries, tension, and coming-of-age experiences, is:

Llehn

Who answered the question, “Which book changed your world?” with:

“The First Form At Malory Towers by Enid Blyton made me want to write my own books.”

There were many insightful answers, and a vast range of books that changed worlds. I’m copying a couple of the ones that made me want to rush out and get the books they mentioned…though all the comments were a delight to read!

Steph Bowe at Hey! Teenager of the Year wrote:

Town by James Roy.
It's a series of interconnected short stories by an Australian author that I read a few years ago. And for the first time in my life, I just went: Wow, this is a real representation of what life's like as a teenager. This book doesn't lie. Nothing's glorified, it's just raw and real and truthful. This was a book that really inspired me to write and write truthfully.

Indigo at Shattered Prose wrote:

The Onion Girl by Charles de Lint.
He allows his main character Jillian, to peel away the layers she had hidden herself in to discover the little girl that was abused as a young child. I was able to relate to Jillian on so many levels. It freed me up to realize it was ok to comfort the child I was, yet move on to the woman I would become.

Stay tuned...I'll be posting another contest before the week is out!

the only alien on the planet + giveaway

Alyce at At Home with Books has started a weekly tradition of revisiting past reading favorites and bringing them into the spotlight.

This week’s feature is The Only Alien on the Planet, by Kristen D. Randle. It’s another find from the YA section in my local library. During my senior year of high school I made the trip to the library a few times a week. Somehow I fit it in between school, swim practice, work and volunteer activities. I was a receptionist at the local pool that year, and had lots of free time behind a desk for reading. Or if I didn’t, I made time. In any case, I picked up this book for the beautiful cover art and wacky title (as soon as I was sure it wasn’t truly about ALIENS, which have never been my ‘thing’), and found myself surprised, moved and emotionally engaged from page one.

Ginny Christianson had been a happy person: "happy, cheerful, easygoing, reasonably popular even." When her family suddenly relocates and a beloved older brother leaves for college at the same time--well, let's just say Ginny is a "displaced person." As life manages to go on, a strange boy at school captures Ginny's attention. Smitty Tibbs is a brilliant, handsome boy who never speaks. He’s known as the Alien and lives isolated from emotion and communication – tolerated by the other students but pretty much left alone. Meanwhile, Ginny's new friend Caulder has long been fascinated with Smitty and is determined to break through to him. Together Caulder and Ginny take on Smitty’s remoteness and begin to probe at the barriers and silence he lives behind. Narrated by a deft and engaging teen voice in Ginny, the overall impact of this psychological novel is extremely powerful.

I suggest skipping some of the editorial reviews on Amazon and other sites – they contain massive spoilers. Part of the beauty of this book is that it radiates tension and mystery, just like its resident alien, Smitty. Ginny, the narrator, is a wonderful character – full of life and insecurities and getting to know herself even as she feels out of place and distanced in a new environment. Also highlighted are family dynamics and the stress and pressure that change puts on relationships as people grow up and circumstances alter. I think that the only other thing I can say is that this book bent my world. In a good way.

After I read Alien for the first time (and the second, re-reading it right over again), I wanted to know why I hadn’t heard of it before. I mean, I haunted our local libraries. I read all of the little booklets announcing the YA classics and titles for reluctant readers, and voluntarily worked my way through my 9th grade English teacher’s booklist (she had something like 50 books listed). Why was a book that had changed my life a relative unknown?

It was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, as well as an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. My best guess, then, is that before the re-birth of the YA genre (ala Harry Potter and Twilight) and without the massive word-of-mouth machine that has developed with the advent of YA book blogs, this amazing novel simply didn’t have the publicity outside of library circles to make it big. I’m very happy to say that it’ll be back in print on September 1, 2009, with Sourcebooks’ Jabberwocky imprint.

…....

In celebration of that fact (and because I think anyone and everyone should read this), I’m giving away one (1) copy.

To enter:

Leave a comment on this post answering the question, “Which book changed your world?”

Please include your email address. Giveaway is open internationally. Comments will close on September 1 at 11:59pm EST, and I will notify the randomly selected winner via email.

Good luck!