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No matter how old I become, I do not think I will ever be able to pry myself away from the 'Young Adult' section of Barnes and Noble. There is a freshness about these novels that are lacking in other genres. Maybe it's all in the 'young' part. I don't mean those cheesy teen series, I mean the novels that explore young love, adventure, and heartbreak so in depth, the reader begins to feel every feeling the author is describing.
As I entered Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago I wasn't looking for anything heavy- since the book I just finished was Helter Skelter, the true story of the Manson murders written by the man who prosecuted them - clearly in need of some fluff as recovery. I made my way over to the 'Young Adult' section for something light and fun, but what I found was fun but definitely not light. Now we all know the saying, "don't judge a book by its cover", but to be completely honest... I never follow that rule. I judge by both the cover and the cover artwork. The name of this book caught my eye and so did the cover. Becoming Chloe, written over a photograph of bare feet hanging out the back of a red truck on an open road. I picked it up and saw that it was written by the same auther (Catherine Ryan Hyde) as the best-seller turned major motion picture Pay It Forward. So right then I was sold.I finished the book in two days. Becoming Chloe does not fit the mold for one's average young adult novel. It is both heart-breaking and heart-warming, emotional, humorous, adventurous, and most of all it addresses many of the issues at hand in today's world.
Becoming Chloe is the story of Jordan, a 17-year old boy who has been kicked out of his home after his father learned of his homosexuality (a sub-plot in the novel) and takes shelter in the basement of an abandoned New York City apartment. Now, to me a 21 year old college student, seventeen seems so young, but Jordan's voice is not that of the typical seventeen year old. His voice is wise and compassionate, for he has been through more than most could imagine at seventeen. His independent life is quickly changed when he meets Chloe, an 18 year old girl with a serious emotional disorder. Jordan discovers her being raped in the alley way of his home, rescues her, and takes her into his care. After this they become inseparable. Jordan starts to realize that Chloe cannot be left alone. She has emotional fits, is severely depressed, and does not have the mind of a mature eighteen year old girl. Despite the fact that she is broken, she doesn't seem so outside of her fits, she seems innocent - as if she doesn't know much. Something has happened to her in her past that has made her this way.
One night Jordan discovers Chloe attempting to kill herself. He stops her and rushes her to a nearby clinic where she is examined by a psychiatrist who tells Jordan that Chloe's emotional disorders are serious. In a heartbreaking scene Chloe tells Jordan that she doesn't see any good in the world, therefore there is really no reason for her to be living in it. This is where Jordan finds the idea to take Chloe on a road-trip across the country in a last attempt to show her that the world can be a beautiful place.
I will stop here so not to spoil the ending but I definitely recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good adventure. Though the novel can get heavy and heartbreaking at times, tackling issues such as homophobia, mental illness, violence, homelessness, and abuse, the novel also tells a story of love, friendship, compassion, and adventure. Readers will fall in love with Jordan and his selflessness and Hyde writes in a way that takes the reader right on the road with Jordan and Chloe.
Click Here to purchase Becoming Chloe
The Godfather was released in 1972 and since then it has continued to be a true classic American film. Little do many of us know that it was actually based on the book, The Godfather by Mario Puzo. This months issue of Vanity Fair features an article examining the controversy surrounding the novel and the obstacles movie makers endured to create the film.
Doris B. Hudak was 75 years old when she left by herself for a trip around the world. She tells the story of her miraculous journey in her book entitled, The Journey of a Dream: One Woman's Travel Tale. Now five years later, at the age of 80, she is currently working on her second book. This time her story takes us to northern Spain in 2006 where she went on the 117-kilometer pilgrimage, Compostella De Santiag (a pilgrimage honoring St.James), which she accomplished in 8 days. Last week, Doris took a time out from her busy schedule to answer some questions about her writing experience.1. What inspired you to write your story documenting your experience around the world?After hearing my story very often people would exclaim, “you should write a book about your adventures” and I would say to myself “Yea yea yea”. Then at a lunch-in with former neighbors one of my friends handed me a book entitled, Without Reservations: The Travels of an Independent Woman by Alice Steinbach, my friend said it reminded her of me. Later that evening another woman looked into my eyes very seriously and said, “Write that book”. Alice Steinbech's book was exciting for me because we had visited some of the same countries and I found it interesting to compare our experiences. It prompted me to think, “Maybe there is a book in me.”
2. Did you do anything to prepare yourself to write the book?
Two tools that were most helpful were developed years before I had planned to write a book. A journal was one and other was photo albums. They were invaluable to document feelings and facts. The third thing I did was to enroll in a writing course titled, “Writing From the Female Experience” at our local community college. When the instructor learned I was entertaining the idea of writing a book he said, “don’t hand in the assignments that the rest of the class is responsible for just give me a couple pages of your book each week”. This was wonderful because it forced me to prepare something each week and it turned out to be just the discipline I needed.
3. What message do you hope to send to those who read ‘The Journey of a Dream?
The primary reason for writing the book was to have my children and grandchildren know who I am. I wanted them to learn how patience, determination, and dogged focus figured in accomplishing my dream. For all the others I wanted to describe the beauty and wonder of the places I visited and then to tell them I found the secret of a happy life, and it is this:
A)You must have a dream no matter how outrageous it may seem
(Afterall, who would believe that after 5 years of planning and
saving a 70 year old woman would travel the world by herself?)
B)then you make a plan to have your dream become a reality
C) and then you live out your dream
D)but that’s not the end, then you must have another dream,
you have to have a reason to get out of bed each day.
4. What advice would you give to someone who would like to write a book about their life experience?
Based on my own experience, I would say you must be passionate about what you want to write, also you must READ READ READ other authors who wrote about the same or similar experiences. Don’t be afraid to rework the manuscript multiple times if needed. My first writing professor said “There is no such thing as good writing only good rewriting”.5. Are you currently working on another book?
Yes I am!
6. How does the writing process of your current book differ from that of “The Journey of a Dream”?
For one, this manuscript was written without benefit of my professor’s encouragement. I did it on my own. The tools I used were a tape recorder instead of a journal because I knew I would be too tired to write at night. The second book records my backpacking across northern Spain to follow the trail of a pilgrimage honoring St. James. Its Spanish name is, Compostella De Santiago.I read many books and articles about the pilgrimage before and after my trek. But the most helpful one I found is “Painless Writing” by Jeffrey Strausser.
7. Do you hope to write another book after this second one?
Only if I have a brand new exciting experience to write about!
Click here to purchase Doris B. Hudak's The Journey of a Dream.
