Book Notes: "For Darkness Shows the Stars", by Diana Peterfreund

The reason I read this book is that it was described to me as "a YA/sci-fi version of Jane Austen's Persuasion".  And I? Love both Jane Austen and science fiction.

"For Darkness Shows the Stars" didn't disappoint me.

Now, to be clear, I read this on vacation, when I was disposed to like everything I read just because I was so happy. (Being up in the Sierra Nevada will do that to me.)  But I don't think I was too prejudiced.

Peterfreund did a good job of lifting the main interpersonal plot points of "Persuasion" and transporting them into a new world, all of her own building. (Though, I think I recognize New Zealand as the geographical basis for the post-apocalyptic landscape?) I did think it was a little odd that, even with the new belief system she develops for the denizens of her new world, that there is little trace of Christianity or any other major world religions post-disaster. I think beliefs are more persistent than that, so my credulity was strained at that point.

But I enjoyed reading about how she envisioned society re-stratifying itself after a disaster, and the way those who weren't satisfied with the new order subtly rebelled. And the way she named her characters was so fun. :)

My one last quibble was that I felt a bit cheated on the world-building. It's not that the world-building wasn't good - it was; in fact, it was fascinating. But I'm used to sci-fi or fantasy books where the authors explain it all by the end, and at the end of this book, the nature of the apocalypse was left unexplained.

That might be realistic - how often in real life to we get complete explanations for world events? - but as a reader, it left me unsatisfied.

However, two mitigating factors:
1) The romantic thread came full circle, and I found it satisfying.
2) Apparently, there's a sequel.

So, I'm hopeful that more of the nature of the apocalypse that caused the situation will be explained in the sequel. It's on my reading list, and I'm looking forward to getting it.


Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell


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Weekend Links: Quick Writing, Anxiety, the Passive Voice, and more!

"The Value of 10 Minutes: Writing Advice for the Time-Less Academic":

Let’s start with the obvious point that writing in short bursts will declaw the activity of writing precisely by demystifying and normalizing it. If writing is something you can do in 10 minutes, like running to the mailroom or shoving a sandwich down your throat, then it seems hardly worth the paralyzing stress it tends to cause so many of us. 

"No Wonder We Hate To Buy Cars":

I hold to the philosophy of buying new and driving until the serious problems begin—maybe seven or eight years with the right brand, all the scheduled maintenance, and a little bit of luck. I hold to this position largely because I consider cars magic. They exist far beyond the boundaries of science and reason and firmly within the realm of wizardry. I have no idea how they work and live with the fear that if I touch anything beyond the gas cap, I will disrupt the sorcery and cause a total breakdown. 

"Anxiety and Depression, My Strange Friends":

So if anxiety and/or depression is your affliction, I am sharing this part of my story to remind you that there’s no shame in suffering from this or any other affliction. In fact, our afflictions may be the key to our fruitfulness as ministers. “Damaged” does not mean “ineffective.” It does not mean “done.”

-Elena's ode to the passive voice is both funny and touching. I love the sentence, "Still, my rebel soul's been captivated/by peace."  Go read the rest here.

-And finally, for aspiring writers out there, this week on her "Simple Mom" podcast, Tsh Oxenreider and her agent, Jenni Burke, give a really good overview of how acquiring an agent and getting published works these days.  If you're looking for an introduction to the subject, this one is nice and comprehensive.

Guest Post: "Inviting Rejection"

Today I'm happy to be posting over at Ralene Burke's blog on "Inviting Rejection". Here's a tidbit:

But when I first started, the idea of rejection made me want to back away from the starting line, strip off my track shoes, and pretend I’d never thought of competing to win the race in the first place.

This is the story of how I got over that.

Please come on over to Ralene's place and read the rest!

Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell

backpacking in the Sierra Nevada

That picture up there? That's where I got to be this past week.

It's Cliff Lake, a six-mile or so hike into the Dinky Lakes Wilderness in the Sierra Nevada. 

It was beautiful.

I went there on a three-day backpacking trip with my dad and brother. The company was great and the location could not be beat.

We hiked. We camped. We read.

We read a lot. (This is my family, after all.)

I swam across the lake, which wasn't nearly as cold as I expected it would be at 9000+ feet above sea-level.

And as you can see in the picture, around sunset, I wrapped myself up in the wool shirt I'd borrowed from my husband, and watched the sky change colors.

In fact, my dad and brother and I all watched it together. For about two straight hours, we just sat, mostly in silence, and watched what the changing light did on the water, and the air, and the rocks.

It was beautiful.

I'm glad to be home. 

But I want to go back.

Peace of Christ to you,

Jessica Snell

Guest Post over at Genesis 5020

Today I'm delighted to be featured on Genesis 5020. Here's a snippet:

I think God regularly uses the evil of this fallen world to turn us more and more towards His own goodness. In a way, that really comforts me, because I have faith that whatever trial I’m in, He won’t allow it to be wasted. It’ll never be meaningless. (I think meaninglessness might scare me more than anything.)

To read more, please come on over here. Thanks!

Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell

Weekend Links - Screen Time, the neuroscience of CrossFit, and more!

Some good reading from around the Web for your weekend:

"Parenting Advice on Screen Time":

There are NO well-designed, well-executed empirical studies on how much is too much screen time in terms of video games. So parents are out of luck gleaning any “hard” advice in that domain from the research literature. There’s plenty of media hype, but none is based on good data. TV is the only exception and indeed less is best . . .

"CrossFit, neuroscience, surviving the zombie apocalypse: Is your workout a fraud?":

The modern gym has been deliberately designed to not require any coordination, accuracy, agility, or balance. The attributes of fitness that bind the body and brain together have become the exclusive province of athletes, dancers, and the few lucky children who still climb trees, pop bicycle wheelies, and hang upside down from monkey bars. The stripping-away of coordination, accuracy agility and balance from physical culture – from our modern notion of fitness – has made us weaker, because power, the ability to apply maximum force, requires neural circuitry that’s impossible to develop on a pulley cable.

"This is what happens in your brain when you’re writing": I found this article really interesting - esp. the differences between the brains of experienced writers vs. inexperienced writers.

"Unhappy Hipsters": hat tip to Anne Kennedy. This link has had me laughing for over a day now!


Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell

Daybook for Monday, July 14, 2014

outside my window . . . it's incredibly gloomy for the middle of the summer. And it's so nice. The clouds aren't keeping us from enjoying the pool or the green grass or the flitting of hummingbirds here and there.

As far as I'm concerned, the clouds can stay.

 I am listening to . . . Mumford and Sons.

 I am wearing . . . jeans, a sleeveless tee, and no jewelery except for my wedding set. It's a day for work.

 I am so grateful for . . . my mother-in-law watching the kids for a few hours. For seeing my own mom this morning. For having my grandma and cousin in town last week. For a husband who will come home in a few hours with a smile and a kiss for me. For my brother, for my dad, for my sister. For my growing, gorgeous kids. For family, just all around.

 I am reading . . . an old Bujold novel. Perfect.

 I am creating . . . the first chapter of a new story. Always a joy.

 around the house . . . Somehow it seems like the house needs to be eased into summer - along with the people and the schedule. I'm gradually arranging things around here to the way I want them to be this season.

 from the kitchen . . . we're eating lots of cherries and nectarines and watermelons. I'm making baked cheddar chicken chimichangas for dinner tonight.

picture thought . . . Adam in the middle of the King's River, building a cairn: