We now have The Wild Things by Dave Eggers, the novelization of the new movie. However, in the little introduction he wrote, Eggers says his book is different from the screenplay, which he also wrote.
And although I have read the book (Egger's and the original Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak--I mostly liked the pictures) I can't tell you how different the book and the movie are, since I haven't seen the movie. I also do not plan on seeing the movie.
Why, you ask? Because the whole giant monster thing is really cool in a children's book, but kind of weird in a movie. Also, it's what, two hours long? And in that time the following will happen: Max will get ticked and his mom will punish him for his behavior. Max will be in his room, bored/hungry/ticked, and he will leave for a faraway place [cue sweeping, magestic music, images of the ocean and little sailing boat] where he will meet freaky monsters not unlike the people he knew in the world he left behind. Also, the personality flaws/struggles of the wild things will mirror the problems Max and his family face (sorry, literature major). Then, he will give up and go home, eating food his mother left for him. The end.
What's that, about 20 minutes of story, give or take?
And you can't knit in a dark theater. Well, you can, but people think there's something wrong with you when you do it. Especially when you are knitting a sock.
Also, the movies are expensive. Even without popcorn. And what is life without popcorn?
The book is amazing, not so much due to plot (which we already know from the children's book) but due to Egger's amazing writing. Check it out.
Next we have Steampunk Lit: Scott Westerfeld's new novel Leviathan. I'm reading this--you can have it when I'm done.
But the art on the cover and throughout (all by Keith Thompson) is amazing. The map alone--but you should just go check it all out. Ignore me. I can't properly describe it.
See, Mr. Scott Westerfeld's got some on his blog!
And what else is on Scott Westerfeld's blog? Could it be the same thing that's happening at Maureen Johnson's blog? And is it the same thing that's happening at John (and Hank) Green's YouTube Channel (and maybe eventually his blog)--to a more extreme degree?
See?
It's NaNoWriMo!
As some of you know and others of you are finding out, November is the month where crazy people like me (and, apparently, John Green) take time out of our lives to give ourselves carpal tunnel syndrome and ulcers by forcing ourselves to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days!
In 2007, I did this. In 2008, I said, "No way am I doing that again!" At some point between November 2008 and now, I forgot the stress, impulsive eating, and lost knitting time and signed up to try this thing again.
If you're wondering...No, it is not too late to join us! Yes, you, too, can age prematurely, stop eating balanced meals, and start talking about fictional characters as if they are real people. You might find yourself looking across the dinner table at your family and friends on Thanksgiving, saying to them, "No, I can't have pie. I just killed off the villian and MC needs help getting out of that well she's stuck in. She's had a bad day. I really shouldn't have even eaten dinner. She needs me."
Then you dart back to your computer, notebook, or dark corner to continue writing writing writing until the tips of your fingers fly across the keyboard so fast scientists decide to study you!
Does it sound fun, yet?
Maureen Johnson and Scott Westerfeld are giving special NaNoWriMo writing tips, so is Justine Larbalestier. John Green is telling us that we have license to write horrible, horrible novels, and if you sign up at NaNoWriMo.org, you'll get pep talks from other authors. In 2007, I remember Neil Gaiman wrote us all a long note about how awesome writing is, how rewarding it can be, and how the world wasn't going to end on November 30, even if it felt like that to us right now!
Good times.
Also, the Nerdfighters have a forum going on NaNoWriMo, and John Green is keeping us up to date.
Give it a try, it's a lot of fun (I mean it, we joke, but it's a blast), you meet tons of people who love to write just like you, some of them right at your school, and when you're all done, you have bragging rights. For. Life.
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