tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61942647333102057312012-01-31T14:12:39.932-06:00There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein. ~Walter "Red" SmithJason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.comBlogger311100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-22028121934022579962011-08-31T15:26:00.003-05:002011-09-01T09:06:16.617-05:00

The Magicians by Lev Grossman My persoanl rating: 5 of 5 stars I was impressed by The Magicians. One of the quotes on the inside calls it "Harry Potter for adults." I would have to say that I agree, the novel does deal with many YA themes yet it is a cross-over novel, Quentin and crew graduate from Brakebills college about half way through.  The Magicians surprised me like Tithe surprised me, in

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-56546499536481127172011-08-31T14:35:00.010-05:002011-08-31T15:20:31.848-05:00

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer My personal rating: 4 of 5 stars Companion novel. I was never a fan of that term, however, I am now. “the dead & the gone” is cleverly done and taps into themes that young men clearly find interesting: survival, protecting one’s family, sticking to one’s morals in the face of adversity, the list goes on. Written from the third-person limited

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-3273473899675112742011-08-30T16:02:00.009-05:002011-08-31T15:14:31.181-05:00

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson My personal rating: 4 of 5 stars I like Tyler Miller. Wait, no I don’t. Oh… yes I do. “Twisted” is kind of like this through the whole book. In some parts, Tyler seems very authentic and likeable (and sue me, I like my protagonists to be likeable). But he can also be very scary, especially as a first person narrator. Do we trust Tyler? Juvenile Delinquent Tyler? I

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-24027329456374008062011-08-29T14:26:00.008-05:002011-08-30T11:52:43.036-05:00

This blog was originally going to be a lament about the loss of one of the most literary YA series to grace the shelves of bookstores and classrooms this decade, The Monstrumologist series by Rick Yancey. Earlier this month, the series was cancelled by Simon & Schuster, and Yancey spoke about his disappointment on Leila Roy's Bookshelves of Doom blog. Then Stephanie Oakes from her Stephanie Reads

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-71277090722587453042011-02-17T13:53:00.003-06:002011-03-08T15:27:41.198-06:00

Sex, drugs, and rock and roll—a few of the cornerstones of realistic young adult literature. Now throw in a good portion of porn, rape, murder and a cast of callus, delinquent (even criminal) characters that have no respect for themselves or others—yes, we are still talking about young adult fiction. All of these, and more, can be found in Exit Here (2007), by Jason Myers. So what could possibly

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-6290738700322327102010-11-06T21:54:00.000-05:002010-11-06T21:54:15.078-05:00

2010 Young Adult Literature Symposium Beyond Titillation: Sexuality and the Young Adult Novel Contemporary young adult literature provides a vast range of representations of young adults as sexual beings. Books like these intimately show the feelings and experiences of evolving adults and acknowledge the emotional and physical worlds contained within sexuality. The place of sexuality in YA

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-53074308060437403332010-08-16T10:06:00.000-05:002010-08-16T10:06:50.461-05:00

I have been looking forward to reading something by Marcus Sedgwick for quite a while.  A galley copy of My Sword Hand is Singing has been on the top of the "To Read" stack but I just hadn't picked it up.  Then I bought a Nook, the e-reader from Barnes & Nobles.  I decided to combine these two enterprises, and read My Sword Hand is Singing on the Nook.  What a pleasant surprise, on both fronts.  

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-50326129665227567832010-02-25T11:33:00.000-06:002010-02-25T11:33:53.557-06:00

During the few days I was reading “Getting the Girl” by Markus Zusak, I happened to watch the film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” written by Michel Gondry, Charlie Kaufman and Pierre Bismuth. The similarities are amazing. Both protagonists, Cameron Wolfe and Joel Barish are quiet, reserved individuals who escape into their journals to find meaning in their lives. Both characters fall

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-62941622315982518862010-02-16T10:26:00.005-06:002010-02-16T11:11:31.437-06:00

The Blurb: On the run in a stolen car with a kidnapped baby in tow, three kids with deeply troubled pasts and bleak futures struggle to find a place for themselves. They will never be able to leave the past behind. Yet for one, redemption is waiting in the unlikeliest of places. With the raw language of the street and lyrical, stream-of-consciousness prose, Adam Rapp hurtles the reader into a

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-33325660393021999202010-02-08T13:20:00.004-06:002010-02-17T13:25:04.477-06:00

The film “9” directed by Shane Acker was one of the most innovative films of 2009, maybe of recent history. With stunning visual effects and a style that was unique and creative, “9” instantly gained a place in my Film Criticism class, just on visuals alone. But something really intrigued (or bothered) me about “9”. The Uncanny Valley. The Uncanny Valley is a theory that holds that “when robots

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-20626637649893878772010-01-31T19:49:00.010-06:002010-11-06T21:23:17.649-05:00

Stephanie Meyer follows a well known formula in “Twilight”. The Gothic Romance has been around since 1794, and for simplicity, we’ll quote Wikipedia, defining it as “a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance” but part of the further definition that I think specifically applies to “Twilight” is that “Gothic fiction feeds on a pleasing sort of terror” that Meyer really

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-84613244973041908602009-09-22T14:04:00.007-05:002010-02-17T14:01:02.654-06:00

As part of an ongoing conversation about sexuality in YA literature, I interviewed author Daria Snadowsky about writing authentic sexualtiy in the YA novel general, and specifically in her own work, Anatomy of a Boyfriend.  As a writer, how do you make a scene involving sexuality authentic? Or to put it another way, how does one write sexuality in a realistic, original, and literary way? I’m

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-73707760241812950662009-09-22T13:30:00.002-05:002009-09-22T13:45:53.692-05:00

The Blurb: Before this all happened, the closest I'd ever come to getting physical with a guy was playing the board game Operation. Okay, so maybe that sounds pathetic, but it's not like there were any guys at my high school who I cared to share more than three words with, let alone my body. Then I met Wes, a track star senior from across town. Maybe it was his soulful blue eyes, or maybe my

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-34880030488021814872009-09-16T13:35:00.005-05:002010-02-17T13:25:51.054-06:00

The Blurb: "For everyone who was that girl. For everyone who knew that girl. For everyone who wondered who that girl was. Kerry Cohen is eleven years old when she recognizes the power of her body in the leer of a grown man. Her parents are recently divorced and it doesn't take long before their lassitude and Kerry's desire to stand out--to be memorable in some way--combine to lead her down a path

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-76769064223150804492009-09-15T14:36:00.007-05:002009-09-16T11:52:41.975-05:00

The Blurb: “It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who’s just walked in to his band’s show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City—and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date.

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-51449919035338476892009-09-11T14:46:00.011-05:002009-09-16T11:54:47.817-05:00

The Blurb: “In his first book for young adults, bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist who leaves his school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white high school. This heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written tale, coupled with poignant drawings that reflect the character’s art, is based on the author’s own experiences and chronicles

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-70082647464205794862009-09-10T14:26:00.008-05:002009-09-16T11:53:58.958-05:00

The Blurb: “For sixteen-year-old Ben Bancroft -- a kid with cerebral palsy, no parents, and an overprotective grandmother -- the closest thing to happiness is hunkering down alone in the back of the Rialto Theatre, watching Bride of Frankenstein for the umpteenth time. Of course, the last person he wants to run into is drugged-out Colleen Minou, resplendent in ripped tights, neon miniskirt, and

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-91454210029536721372009-09-10T11:27:00.005-05:002009-09-10T14:19:24.497-05:00

These comments were originally posted at Nathan Bransford's blog, in response to his question "You Tell Me: Should Children's Books be Content-Rated Like Movies and Video Games?"As a high school teacher for over ten years, I inevitably have students come back and visit me after I have had them in class. They often tell me “This book changed my life.” That is a powerful statement. Yet that is how

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-66055557701677482932009-09-09T15:28:00.011-05:002009-09-16T11:54:25.124-05:00

The Blurb: "When she is caught in the backseat of a car with her older brother's best friend - Deanna Lambert's teenage life is changed forever. Struggling to overcome the lasting repercussions and the stifling role of "school slut," she longs to escape a life defined by her past.With subtle grace, complicated wisdom and striking emotion, Story of a Girl reminds us of our human capacity for

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-4011598275880197122009-09-09T13:31:00.022-05:002009-09-16T13:55:32.115-05:00

This is a list of interesting interviews from YA authors about their craft:Sherman Alexie: A Texas Book Festival audio interview with John Jahnski on writng, featuring his books Flight, and The Absolute True Diary of a Part-time Indian.Laurie Halse Anderson: A "YA Lit Bitch" interview with Ellen Papazian from Bitch Magazine about feminism and craft, specifically featuring Wintergirls and

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-33583240705806314292009-09-09T12:29:00.009-05:002009-09-09T13:17:41.247-05:00

The following comments were originally posted at Once Upon a Bookcase in response to Joanne Stapely’s question, How Far is Too Far in YA Novels?Young Adult (YA) fiction, like all fiction, is genre specific. Real YA fiction will, by definition, deal with contraversial topics (they call them 'problem novels' after all) like sexuality, independence, violence, and more. Most reading is done with

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-68449626067837089112008-12-12T15:31:00.012-06:002009-09-09T14:52:09.094-05:00

I am concerned that all of the “good” artists and writers were on the fringe of society. Bukowski was a drunk and Basquiat was an addict. Critics claimed their work suffered when they were “clean.” Does one have to be repellent or an addict in order to be "Great?" Maybe not even just seen by others as Great, but even be capable of being Great? Many of the Great authors committed suicide or died

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-83486855576877051042008-11-19T15:27:00.007-06:002009-09-09T11:21:17.255-05:00

I have never really been struck by the death of a famous person. But the death of comic book artist Michael Turner STUNNED me, especially because he had been dead for several months when I found out. Maybe it was because he was my age. His art is a legacy that every comic book fan can recognize and appreciate. Maybe I was stunned because I had spent so many hours of my life collecting and

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-36276158079477254632008-10-15T14:26:00.010-05:002009-09-10T13:45:02.958-05:00

I love watching movies like Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, where I am left with many questions and quests. The quest of course can be many things, but in this case, I had no idea who Diane Arbus was, and felt I really needed to know her after the film was over. I of course started at Wikipedia, and then killed approximately two hours looking at Arbus photographs and reading about her

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-81006009911200798782008-02-12T11:08:00.002-06:002009-09-09T15:05:15.646-05:00

So people are finally starting to figure out that Elmore Leonard is a master of fiction writing, and especially pacing and dialogue. Why Leonard is still "under the radar" is beyond me, but it would appear with his recent film successes he is finally getting some notoriety.The Hot Kid is an excellent novel where Leonard has left his somewhat traditional Detroit for the dusty Prohibition Era Tulsa

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-40930281251474519352008-02-05T15:58:00.001-06:002008-10-21T15:02:24.287-05:00

When I heard that Suzanne Pleshette died January 19, 2008, and that she was getting a star on the Hollywood walk of fame, it really got me thinking about The Birds, and her character Annie Hayworth. Tippi Hedren and Pleshette really could make the most out of a pregnant pause. Words would just hang in the air, and Pleshette just oozed sexuality. What blonde bombshell Hedron lacked in acting

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-73270207457195204252008-02-01T13:29:00.000-06:002008-02-01T14:06:44.926-06:00

I was linking the fabulous website East of the Web to my blog page, when I stumbled across the excellent sci-fi short story Time, Art & Criticism by Paul Trembling.A would-be artist, Taran Vechery, has used the alien technology of time control to capture a tree and make it grow from acorn to death in one minute, it grows, and the seasons change-- everything--then the process begins over again.

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-72953591795688739162008-01-31T14:29:00.001-06:002008-01-31T15:24:51.811-06:00

I'm sorry to admit that I am a bit of a Wikipedia addict. Here's what happens: I see a movie preview, or read about something that interests me, and I go to the internet to learn more. Of course, I Google the topic at hand and the first or second entry listed is at Wikipedia. So I click. Now I know that Wikipedia is not the end-all be-all of information, but it is a damn good start. So then I

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-18906106975736836412008-01-30T14:55:00.000-06:002008-01-31T13:16:36.295-06:00

Tin House Magazine - Issue 33 - Fantastic Women Gina Zucker’s A Hard Worker is an excellent example of short fiction at its finest. In the tradition of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Zucker’s future for the women in her story is a bleak one. Certain social conditions exist in the future that restrict women in the story to certain roles. In Atwood’s story we are left to the "Historical

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-6846808458634034042008-01-30T14:32:00.003-06:002010-02-17T13:27:16.354-06:00

I Am Legend , a film review... In typical Hollywood fashion, a film that took over 15 years to make it to the screen mangles the original story based on I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. Sure, I Am Legend is going to make money at the box office. It is a sci-fi movie staring a graying Will Smith (Independence Day, I Robot) as Robert Neville, I mean profits are almost guaranteed at this point.

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194264733310205731.post-15112109744817832402008-01-30T13:44:00.000-06:002008-01-31T08:33:41.435-06:00

I am a SUN Magazine subscriber, and the topic for July 2008 is "patriotism". The deadline for this topic was December 1st, 2007, and that has sadly past. But I thought it was such a good story that I wanted to share it with someone, you here you are...On PatriotismOn the Fourth of July, 1994, I attended a fireworks display at Blakeslee Stadium, at Mankato State University. There were

Jason Kurtzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.com0