A Little "Something Borrowed" About Love Triangles

I'll own it: I read a lot of YA and chick lit.  Regarding the former, I'll descend into Hipsterville and say I was devouring teen books way before Twilight blew up (just ask my ex, who thought it was really funny to follow me into that section at Borders).  And as for the latter, I'll be a bad feminist for a second and say that I think the cutesified term for women's fiction is, well, cute.  And unlike the early 2000's, chick lit (or women's fiction, if you're a good feminist) is less all about men and shoes and more about real women dealing with real issues.

Such as falling in love with the last person you're supposed to.

The love triangle is a tale as old as time and one frequently visited in YA, chick lit, and romance (another genre I adore).  The thing about the love triangle?  It is very, very hard to write.  Sure, the stakes are really high (something I constantly struggle with in my own fiction), but how do you NOT make everyone seem like assholes?  You've got the girl who's crossing a major boundary (person/point one), often at the expense of her friend who in lesser love-triangle stories is portrayed as a cartoonish meanie (person/point two), with a guy they may both be better off without (person/point three).

See what I mean?  The potential for a crappy story where the reader hates everyone and ends up throwing the book across the room (um, not that I've ever done this, Chicago Public Library, I swear) is huge.

Last year I reviewed Something Like Fate, a YA love-triangle story by the darling Susane Colasanti (whose new book, So Much Closer, just came out last week).  I won't rehash the whole review here, but this was a love triangle done right.  The friendship between the two girls was believable.  The boy was simply awesome, if a bit idealized (but hey, who didn't idealize a boy in high school?  If you're like me and grew up surrounded by asshole jocks, it was hard not to put the nice guys on a pedestal).  The sense of "this is so wrong yet so very right" was palpable.  Also?  I didn't want to smack anyone.

Later in the year, I read another YA love triangle, Elizabeth Scott's The Unwritten Rule, and had the very opposite reaction.  Now, Scott's books are hit or miss for me.  I tend to like every other one (Living Dead Girl; Love You Hate You Miss You; Something, Maybe?  Oh yes!  Bloom, Stealing Heaven?  Not so much.)  The Unwritten Rule fell into the unfortunate latter category.  I couldn't stand the protaga-dude and dudette.  I felt like he was a shallow jerk and she was a selfish bitch masquerading as a "good" girl.  I felt that neither of them gave the best friend enough respect or credit: yes, she could be mean, but she also had a pretty terrible home life.  Now, Sarah of Smart Bitches Trashy Books disagrees with me, but even for teenagers, these two were acting pretty horrible in the name of "love" (and I gave them about three months anyway).

Which brings me to a very recent chick-lit read: Emily Giffin's Something Borrowed.

I've seen this book on shelves for years but was never tempted to pick it up.  I think I was turned off by the cover (yes, I'm that shallow).  But Jezebel's been posting the shit out of the new movie version starring Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin, my husband John Krasinski, and some guy who played Erica Kane's aborted fetus on All My Children.  And I was sick at home one day with only my Nook for company, so I figured, why not?

I don't know if I'll see the movie, but I really, really enjoyed the book.

As a "good girl" who struggled to break out of that shell for a really long time, I could relate to Rachel, who spent her life trying to do the right thing (good college, law degree, career), only to end up sleeping with Dex, a fellow law school alum and the fiance of her childhood best friend Darcy.  Sure, Darcy's bitchiness comes off as cartoonish at times, but there's also so much of a history between the two women that I understood why Rachel still considered Darcy her best friend, and vice versa.  What I loved best about Something Borrowed was Rachel's palpable struggle with the whole situation.  She had, in fact, introduced Darcy to Dex when she herself didn't feel worthy of such a great guy.  She knew falling for him in the months before his wedding to Darcy was all kinds of ill-advised.  She had a believable mix of love, loyalty and loathing for her best friend.  This angst, combined with Giffin's breezy writing style, is why I'm currently rereading Something Borrowed.

(Plus, Rachel quotes Creedence Clearwater Revival, one of my favorite bands because I think I'm actually a 50-year-old man.)

Growing up, we're often inundated with "girl code"--you don't go near your friends' boys, even after they've broken it off.  As grown-ups, however, many of us realize that people often meet and fall in love under less than ideal circumstances.  A good love triangle book reminds its readers that what sounds so black and white when you're a kid morphs into shades of gray when you're a teen or an adult.  Either way, there will be tears and scars, but the lucky and genuine ones can emerge with relationships relatively intact.

Forbidden Love Giveaway WINNERS!

Well, color me impressed, y'all!

The responses I got for the 'pro's Forbidden Love Giveaway--via both comments and emails--were fan-flippin'-tastic.  Maybe it's spring fever, or maybe you're all just that cool.  My money's on all of the above.

Sooooo . . . IT'S WINNER TIME!  As you recall, I have three super-cool YA books to give away: Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti, and Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction, both by Simone Elkeles.  To enter, you had to contact me with your favorite pop culture example of forbidden love and why it was your favorite.  My top three favorites win!

*drumroll please*

The "Get Out of My Head" Award goes to . . . Nikki!

Nikki's choice is one of my very favorite songs ever, "O Valencia!" by the Decemberists.  (If you haven't heard these guys live, you MUST.)  Not only does "O Valencia!" passionately chronicle a tragic tryst a la Romeo & Juliet/West Side Story, it happens to be the exact song going through my head when I first read Perfect Chemistry.  Nikki, might you be psychic?



The "Most Inter-species" Award goes to . . . Roxanne!


Because we celebrate all kinds of love here on the 'pro, Roxanne's fave, Disney's The Fox and the Hound, really touched my heart.  Of the titular best pals who grow up and realize they're supposed to hate each other, Roxanne says it best: "Two different worlds, two different roles to fill - and, dare I say it? Two different species!"





And finally, the "Most Sci-Fi" Award goes to . . . Tara!


I have to admit, I don't watch Battlestar Galactica, but my fanboy roomie backed me up on Tara's choice of Kara/Starbuck and Lee/Apollo from the new TV version.  I was compelled by her description of the couple: She was engaged to his younger brother when they met and immediately felt the spark (and uh almost acted on it). Then she got him killed because she loved him too much and the world ended and they were reunited. But Lee was her boss and they were both emotional wrecks and so scared of how much they loved and needed each other. And sadly it ended very tragically, but they were EPIC.  Goosebumps, yo!



(Yes, it's the one Katy Perry song I like. Shut up.)

Congratulations to Nikki, Roxanne and Tara!  Email me ASAP with your full name and address at maybeimamazed02ATyahooDOTcom, so you can get your prize with a quickness!  

To all who entered: I didn't get any answers I didn't love.  IF your name was not among the winners, BUT you'd like to get a neato prize anyway, email your name and address to me at maybeimamazed02ATyahooDOTcom.

Until tomorrow, I'll leave you with one of my favy-avy-avy forbidden love scenes.  Romeo.  Juliet. A costume party.  A fishtank.  DiCaprio, Danes and Des'ree.  And you know what?  Even when I'm not sixteen and sloppy in love with my first boyfriend, this movie's still pretty damn good!



Stay tuned for tomorrow's entry: it's old/new school-YA-rific!

Image courtesy of poundingheartbeat.com.

Forbidden Love Giveaway Tiiiiiiiime!

So I have some news: though I do have at least two book reviews in the works, I really miss yapping about movies and TV with all my lovely readers!  Therefore, the next few posts will be more movie- and/or TV-related.

BUT FIRST!

I've acquired three fantastic YA books about forbidden love, two of which have been recently reviewed on the 'pro: Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction, both by Simone Elkeles, and Something Like Fate by the wonderful Susane Colasanti.  Rules of Attraction was just released this week, Something Like Fate is out May 4, and Perfect Chemistry came out last year, but is still going strong.  All.  Are.  Awesome.

And I'm giving them away!

So here's what you have to do: leave a comment with your favorite example of forbidden love in pop culture, and why you think it is so splendiferous, in 50 words or less.  It can be a movie, a book, a song, or that really great moment on your favorite TV show when the two characters you were rooting for finally, finally got together even though they weren't supposed to.

Then check back on Monday, April 26.  I'll choose my three favorites and one of these three cool YA books is yours!

You have until Friday, April 23 to send these in.  Impress me, y'all.

Feel free to pass this around to any book lov-ah you choose.  Happy forbidden lovin'!

Coming up Monday: a new sitcom I just adore.  Yay!

Come Go With Me: Something Like Fate

Lately, I've been getting into romances.  Not because I'm an especially romantic individual--readers who know me personally are cracking up at the understatement of the year right now--but for other reasons.  First, the authors aren't trying to save the world.  I feel like too many books these days are trying to be The Great American Novel.  Yo, authors, not everyone is Harper Lee or Wally Lamb, and that's okay.  Jokes that aren't cynical and edgy and endings that aren't wrist-slittingly depressing are not only cool, but they're welcome.

Second, contrary to the bodice-ripper stereotype, many romances center around intelligent women and the relationships that are important to them: of course, the romantic relationship is the central focus (as the genre dictates), but often family and friends play important parts in the story as well.  What makes these heroines so compelling is that their lives are full--not just with people, but with jobs and passions--even before the protaga-dude steps into town.  I don't know about you, but for me, that's real, and it's enjoyable to read.

Which brings me to this week's Awesome Authors book, Susane Colasanti's Something Like Fate.  Strictly speaking, this could be qualified as YA romance.  The heroine is sensitive and smart, and treasures the people in her life--which includes but is not exclusive to the gorgeous, kind boy--but is faced with complications to balance these relationships.  Sure, I knew the happy ending was coming--which is in fact a comfort--but I was compelled to go along for the ride.  And the characters are good eggs, stuck in situations that may seem insignificant in twenty years, but for right now, are all they've got in the world.

The plot in a nutshell: Lani and Erin are best friends in a small New Jersey town.  Erin's popular, Lani left that crowd a couple years back to do her own thing: she's really big on green living, exploring the concept of fate, and hanging with her closeted pal Blake.  The girls aren't as close as they used to be, but still share a deep bond from a near-tragedy that occurred when they were in grade school.  When Erin declares regulation hottie Jason her new object of affection, Lani obligingly scopes him out--but finds herself falling for Jason as well.  When Lani shares not only a physical attraction but an emotional connection with Jason, what's a good girl to do?

Maybe not the most original plotline in the world, but most writers and readers will argue that there's about five stories in the world anyway--the important part is how you tell them.  One of my biggest beefs with recent YA fiction is that some authors try too hard to be edgy, and it's painfully obvious when it's not coming from a real place.  Something Like Fate keeps it simple, and I like that.  Plus, what's more universal than crushing on someone you're not supposed to?  Or hanging on to a friendship because of shared history?  Way more relatable than lusting after an abstinent vampire, that's for sure.  And while there's a lot to be said for the escapism of fantasy, it's lovely to balance it out with a book that's grounded.  The subplot with Blake was well-done and sadly familiar without veering into cliche.  As always, I love Colasanti's music references: Death Cab forever!  Finally, the cover is purple, my favorite color in the whole world.  What can I say?  I love a pretty cover.

The one issue I did have with Something Like Fate was this: I thought the author was too kind to Jason at times.  I'm not going to give anything away, but I will say that both Lani and Jason make ill-advised decisions, but it's Lani who solely receives the blame.  Granted, this is pretty typical of high school--hell, it's pretty typical of the grown-up world, which is sad.  However, I would have liked a little more self-awareness on Lani and Jason's part.  Jason's not perfect.  I would have liked him anyway, maybe even more, had he realized and owned up to his faulty behavior--and I would have still liked Lani had she called him on it.  He's got a good heart, but even the best guys do make mistakes.

Overall, however, I found Something Like Fate to be the literary equivalent of green jasmine tea with tons of honey.  Calming, comforting, and just the way I like it.

Now, ladies and germs, it's ARMCHAIR CASTING DIRECTOR TIME!

I don't know about y'all, but when I read and write, I like to picture in my head what the characters look like. (Start singing "The Movie in My Mind" from Miss Saigon.  You know you want to!)  Blame my obsession with IMDb or my theatre background, but I always like to think about who would play a character (whether it's written by me or someone else) in the movie.  And when I say "movie," I mean "film cast with the utmost precision and respect for the readers," not "pile of steaming garbage with Shia LaBeouf as Henry Higgins."

In short, there is no game I heart more than armchair casting director.  Brief disclaimer: my choices don't always make sense in terms of age or era.  I often like to think of the younger versions of actors way too old for the characters--if that's because much of Young Hollywood leaves me cold or I'm just strange, I don't know.

Anyway, here's who I was picturing as the main characters in Something Like Fate:


Lani: Zooey Deschanel

She's got the ethereal intelligence combined with the healthy glow that can only come from avoiding soda pop.  Plus, Lani has bangs!

Erin: Arielle Kebbel

Textbook relatable golden girl.  Whether she's Dean's wife on Gilmore Girls or the type A woman scorned in the surprisingly good John Tucker Must Die, Kebbel's a natural beauty.  True, she could rock the fake tan and hair extensions typical to L.A. actresses, but she doesn't need to.

Blake: Jacob Zachar

I always like it when the gay friend isn't a stereotype.  Not only is Zachar adorable, but he can convey real vulnerability and emotion when the role calls for it.  Have you seen Greek?  If not, get thee to Hulu.  (I'm probably prejudiced because he's a local boy.  My crushworthy former coworker was in a band with him.)

Jason: Hunter Parrish

Ohhh yeah.  He's all kinds of dreamy (and he's 23, so it's not too gross for me to say that).  Maybe it's because I associate him with Weeds, but Parrish has a whimsical granola vibe to him that would work great for Jason.  I would totally swoon over this dude in the high school hallway, that's for sure.

(Memo to Nikki: I know I totally used the same Parrish pic as you did on your blog, but it's the cutest one I could find.  :)

My two cents:
We all think of first love as simple, but that's the musings of a nostalgia-heavy generation.  The truth is, love is never simple.  Something Like Fate conveys this with gentle aplomb, making for a relaxing, optimistic read. Good stuff.

Something Like Fate will be released May 4.  Click here to pre-order, and here to read my interview with the book's author, Susane Colasanti!

Liked Awesome Authors Month?  You're in luck--thanks to an unexpected ARC and another excellent writer who said yes to an interview, the read-y/write-y fun will continue for two more weeks.  Stay tuned, y'all!

Awesome Author Interview, Part Deux: Susane Colasanti

In early 2007 (aka The Year Unpro Got Her Groove Back), I was at Borders (aka the Unpro Mothership), and picked up a YA book with a cute cover.  Upon skimming the first few chapters, I was immediately transported back to high school when, like her winning protagonist, I was the braniac girl in love with the witty hipster boy.  Oh, that was fun.  A year later when I started writing fiction of my own, I contacted the book's author and found her to be a lovely person in every way.  Today, she has taken time out of her busy NYC writer's life to stop by my lil ole blog.  The book?  When It Happens.  The author?  Susane Colasanti, who has since published two more novels, Take Me There and Waiting for You.  Her latest, Something Like Fate, is out May 4.  The verdict?  Ms. Colasanti is awesome.  Read on:

You were a high school teacher in New York City for almost ten years. Now that you're no longer teaching full-time, how do you keep up with how teens talk, what they're listening to, and what's on their minds?

It was definitely much easier to keep up with the latest scene when I was surrounded by kids all day. Even though I’m not as immersed in the culture, any slang that survives at least a few years will find its way to me somehow. When I’m writing, I usually only include slang that has been around for a while so people can understand what they’re reading when they pick up my books decades from now. As far as what teens are thinking about, I believe that never really changes. Contemporary issues like sexting and online social networking are new, but the universal issues that connect us all are timeless. Teens will always have the same intrinsic needs and wants, no matter what year it is.

When I was a teacher, I listened to a lot of the same music as my kids. I told myself that I would never be one of those clueless grownups who has no idea what’s on the radio. But these days I mostly listen to NPR, and I’m sad to report that I’ve become out of touch with a lot of the newest music. One of these days, Z100 and I will have an overdue reunion.

Your novels have a variety of settings: Manhattan, suburban New Jersey, a Connecticut river town. How do you decide where to place each story?

When I start writing a new book, the setting is a very important element for me. I like using the physical environment to enhance the story as much as possible, almost as if the setting is its own character. That was especially the case for my second book, Take Me There, which mostly takes place in my own Manhattan neighborhood. I wanted to share the energy and intensity of New York City with my readers. Since the story involves several heavy issues, a frenetic city setting was perfect for that book. When It Happens was my first book, so it made sense for the story to take place near where I grew up. An author’s first book usually seems to be the most autobiographical one. I’m a huge fan of Dawson’s Creek and wanted to capture the magical element of Capeside, Massachusetts in Waiting for You. That was my inspiration for setting the book on the water. And I think it worked – some readers have commented that the cover reminds them of Dawson’s Creek! It’s an interesting example of how one type of creativity can inspire another.

In Waiting for You, your narrator, Marisa, is an avid John Mayer fan, and you are in real life as well. What do you think about his recent controversial Playboy interview? Has his public persona affected how you listen to his music? Why or why not?

As a hardcore John Mayer fan, I made sure to read the full Playboy interview. Most of the people who’ve been snarking on what he said didn’t even read the interview and don’t know his music at all. Perhaps if those people were more informed, they wouldn’t be so angry.

John’s intentions were not malicious in any way. He just doesn’t possess a verbal filter that would allow him to censor the graphic nature of his responses. He also commented that he feels the need to be outrageously shocking in interviews, as if he’s trying to live up to the public’s expectations of how a rock star should present himself. To what degree public figures should take on a persona is always an interesting debate. However, I’m not going to stop believing that his music is true just because he feels the need to be sensational in some interviews. If his music didn’t reflect his soul, there’s no way he’d even think to incorporate the lyrics he does. John Mayer’s music has been a major part of my world for years. The most life-altering experiences I’ve ever had are emulated in his music. He sings my life. Nothing can change that.

What's your writing process like? Do you adhere to any particular routines?

Since I work at home, routines are essential. It's scarily possible to get sucked into the online realm for hours before you even realize what just happened. Also, I’m an organization freak – establishing routines is part of my innate tendency to organize everything. A typical morning goes like this: get up when it’s light out (but not insanely early)*, limited online time, gym (if I’m not being lazy, which I usually am). Afternoons are when I write because I’ve never been a morning person. Ever since I was a teen, I’ve always felt the most productive and energized at night. If I’m working on a new book, I write for about five hours, five days a week. If I’m on deadline, I can easily work a 12- to 14-hour day. Wednesdays and Saturdays are my days off for two reasons: I don’t need two days off in a row and doing errands on weekdays rocks because there are no lines.

*Related note: School starts way too early. There’s no need for this. Kids aren’t going home to do farm chores anymore. It’s time for schools to join this century. No one should have to get up when it’s still dark out. That is just depressing.

Your characters have very definitive tastes in music: the Cure and R.E.M. are mentioned many times. What appeals to you about those bands, and what other musicians inspire your writing?

When I was a senior in high school, things finally started happening. I’m from the middle of nowhere New Jersey where nothing ever happened. But then one day they did. And the music I began listening to at the time was The Cure and R.E.M. Those groups will always be intrinsically connected to that intense time in my life. Whenever I want to remember those emotions and experiences, I play that music and everything about being 17 comes rushing back. Their songs have the capacity to heal your soul. Some people say that The Cure is really depressing, but I find them reassuring. Like no matter how bad your life gets, at some point it can only get better, and there are other people out there who feel your pain. That was good for me to know back then.

For inspiration, I mostly rely on the same music I listened to as a teen. Paul Simon, James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, and Sting all have a very Zen, contemplative vibe that helps me find the right words. I’m also into more recent stuff by John Mayer, Death Cab and Coldplay.

Both you and your characters are big advocates of inner peace and strength. How do you maintain a healthy work/life balance?

Finding balance is something we all struggle with. It was pretty much impossible to attain any kind of balance when I was teaching. Things are easier now that I work at home. I’m able to structure my day to include enough work and play time. It’s also really important to get enough sleep, which is something I can finally do. When I’m on deadline, I work long days and don’t really have any free time. But on a typical day, I’m able to get my work done and still have time for funtivities.

More and more adults are reading YA fiction, and the majority of YA authors are way out of high school. Any advice for grown-ups who want to write for teens?

The best YA novels are written by grownups who totally remember what it’s like to be a teen. Although there are tons of YA novels that outshine my own, existing in the teen world is just how I live. My internal age is 16. I know that no matter how old I am chronologically, I will always be 16 spiritually. Connecting with that time is my natural state of being.

My advice for aspiring grownup writers is to know what you’re writing. If your writing is true, your characters will feel real. I’ve read some YA books where it seems like the author is struggling to sound younger or trying too hard with their dialogue. As long as you’re in touch with the essence of how you felt as a teen, your writing will be true. If you’re out of touch, find a way to reconnect. Spending time with kids is the best way to achieve this. If that’s not possible, then try the music, movies, shows and books that speak to you the most. Creativity sparks creativity. Our ideas are the collection of everything we’ve ever experienced. The more you immerse yourself in the teen world, whether it’s the 2010 world or the one you survived back in the day, the more authentic your writing will feel.

Who are your favorite authors (YA and otherwise)? What are you reading right now?

My favorite YA author is Laurie Halse Anderson. Every book she’s written is absolutely phenomenal. Some of my other faves are Blake Nelson, Rachel Vail, and E. Lockhart. Recently, I blurbed the incredible debut YA novel The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. I also really enjoyed Looks by Madeleine George and I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak. And I have to give a shout-out to S.E. Hinton because The Outsiders was the book that inspired me to write my own.

I’m a huge Jodi Picoult fan, so right now I’m reading My Sister’s Keeper. I wanted to see the movie before reading the book because it’s helping me visualize the scenes in richer detail. My two favorite books by Jodi are The Pact and Nineteen Minutes. I mentioned both of these books in Waiting for You, then sent her a copy. It was my way of thanking her for making the world a better place. Other adult novelists I love are Jonathan Tropper, Nick Hornby, Garrison Keillor, Tom Perrotta, and Anne Tyler.

You're very communicative with your readers, through your blog, Facebook, Twitter and email, plus you have done in-person appearances. What has been your craziest fan encounter?

My readers are why I write, so communicating with them is a priority. I actually can’t remember any crazy fan encounters. My readers tend to be very generous, sensitive, kind people. I’m a lucky girl!

I'm a huge High Fidelity fan, so I ask all my interviewees: what are your desert island, all-time, top 5 favorite movies?

Garden State, The Good Girl, Office Space, Election, and The Station Agent. High Fidelity would probably make it into my top ten.


Can't get enough Susane?  Check out these links for more!

Website: http://www.susanecolasanti.com/  
Blog: http://windowlight.livejournal.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susanecolasanti
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/susanecolasanti
Twitter: http://twitter.com/susanecolasanti

And stay tuned for next week, when I review her latest, Something Like Fate!  Same Unpro time, same Unpro channel.