The following blog entry was written by Sarah Solomon, an intern here at READ.

When most people hear the word sonnet, they automatically think of William Shakespeare, and for good reason. However, the sonnet was around way before Shakespeare was born, and continued to be modernized after his death.

What makes sonnets different from other types of poetry is their distinct structure. Sonnets have a set number of lines and an organized rhyme scheme. However, there are different types of sonnets, such as the English sonnet, the Italian sonnet, and other variations.

Shakespeare usually wrote English sonnets, which have 14 lines and a rhyme scheme of:
[ABAB CDCD EFEF GG]
Each letter corresponds to the last word of each line. So the first and third lines will rhyme, the second and fourth lines will rhyme, etc.

But you have probably already seen many Shakespeare sonnets. Here are some other ones you might not have seen. Sir Thomas Wyatt was born in 1503, and wrote sonnets way before Shakespeare. Here is one, entitled "Farewell love and all thy laws forever"

Farewell, love, and all thy laws forever,
Thy baited hooks shall tangle me no more.
Senec and Plato call me from thy lore
To perfect wealth, my wit for to endeavor.
In blind error when I did persever,
Thy sharp repulse that pricketh aye so sore
Taught me in trifles that I set no store,
But scape forth, since liberty is lever.
Therefore, farewell, go trouble younger hearts,
And in me claim no more authority;
With idle youth go use thy property,
And thereon spend thy many brittle darts.
For hitherto though I have lost my time,
Me list no longer rotten boughs to climb.

— Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542)

This is an Italian sonnet. Though the rhyme scheme of an Italian sonnet is somewhat flexible, the first eight lines are
[ABBA ABBA]

More modern sonnets are a lot freer with their rhyme schemes, and the poems are not as structured overall as the more classical ones. Edna St. Vincent Millay lived from 1892 to 1950--not so long ago. Here is a sonnet she wrote, entitled "Only until this cigarette is ended"

Only until this cigarette is ended,
A little moment at the end of all,
While on the floor the quiet ashes fall,
And in the firelight to a lance extended,
Bizarrely with the jazzing music blended,
The broken shadow dances on the wall,
I will permit my memory to recall
The vision of you, by all my dreams attended.
And then adieu, -- farewell! -- the dream is done.
Yours is a face of which I can forget
The colour and the features, every one,
The words not ever, and the smiles not yet;
But in your day this moment is the sun
Upon a hill, after the sun has set.

—Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950)

There are other structural elements to sonnets, such as the literal structure of ideas (like an essay) and the rhythm of the words (enunciation). But that would be a whole other story.

Try writing your own sonnet!
It's harder than it looks!

The following blog entry was written by Sarah Solomon, an intern here at READ.

Today is Maurice Sendak's 80th birthday, so let's take some time to admire the illustrious illustrations he has done.

Maurice Sendak was born in Brooklyn on June 10th, 1928. As soon as he saw Fantasia by Walt Disney when he was 12 years old, he knew he wanted to become an illustrator.

He started illustrating other authors' children's books, and learned how to adjust his style of drawing to the other authors' writings. After a while he started writing and illustrating his own books. His two most famous works are Where the Wild Things Are (1963) and In the Night Kitchen (1970), both children's books.

Both of these books have a common theme. The protagonist, a young boy, is bored or fed up with his waking life so he travels to an imaginary place.

In Where the Wild Things Are, Max gets in trouble with his mom and is punished by being sent to his room with no supper. There his bedroom turns into a forest, and he travels to where the wild things are:

That very night in Max's room a forest grew
and grew-
and grew until his ceiling hung with vines
and the walls became the world all around
and on ocean tumbled by with a private boat for Max
and he sailed off through night and day
and in and out of weeks
and almost over a year
to where the wild things are.

In In The Night Kitchen, Mickey dreams that he is baked into a cake by three bakers and then flies a plane made out of bread dough to the top of a giant bottle of milk. Mickey is completely naked for most of the book, and because of that, In the Night Kitchen became the 25th most challenged book between 1990 and 2000 according to the American Library Association's "list of challenged and banned books".

Both of these books have distinct illustrations with ferocious colors and beautiful drawings. Check 'em out!

Where The Wild Things Are

 

In The Night Kitchen

In the May 2 issue of READ, we asked students to tell us about their experiences "being swept away" into books. Thanks to Brennan Baringer, 14, for responding to the call. Great job Brennan! We hope your "hunger" always persists and you always find the most delicious books to quench it.  

Reading is the link to worlds where anything is possible--from gods and goddesses to magic and mythical creatures. It is a fiery passion that descends upon us and casts its luring trap--that makes us want to read more and more. Good books will seize you and never let go. They will lure you in and you will be lost in its pages, shouting for joy and weeping with sorrow at each twist and turn.

When I find a good book I read it heart and soul. I read it over and over hungering evermore for the words that are food for my mind and soul. Characters eventually become part of you. You see them and it almost feels as if they are alive:living, breathing, and feeling. When they get into trouble you want to be there. You want to save them and protect them because they have been there for you and you want to be in the story to save what you treasure.

The most loathesome part of the book is the ending. The book has become a treasured friend and the end is saying farewell. You don't want an end though, you want to be lost in a neverending story that only ends when your
dragon-sized thirst for the masterpiece is slain.

Click here for Student Writing Showcase 2008.

That's not much fanfare! Well, I could tell you about all the great student writers we have showcased this year. I could discuss the wonderful authors who have leant their voices and commentary (like M.T. Anderson, Karen Cushman, and Cynthia Leitich Smith). I could describe the way neat-o video version of 1,000 Words. I could tell you all about the Letter To Self article and writing prompt. I could write up a super-duper self-promotion that shows in detail how each one of these things makes for a really cool place to chill out, read some excellent student writing, get inspired, and moves you to write whatever your heart desires! I could... and I kind of just did... but I think I'll just pipe down and let you check it out for yourself.

AND if you do get inspired and DO write something. Send it to us at word@weeklyreader.com. We're always looking for the best student writers to publish right here on WORD!

Cheers mates! Enjoy!

The following is a WORD Bloggy endorsement from Esther Yan, a 6th grade student.

The readandwriting website is very interesting in two ways. One way is that they give an opinion on a book. For instance, they were giving an opinion on the Chronicles of Narnia. A Canadian reviewer said, "The chronological order makes the books more strictly allegorical than they really were intended to be...". Another way is that they have many categories. Some of the categories are "Books and Authors", "Get Published", "Writing Tips", "1000 Words", and more.

There are four ways that I would use "www.readandwriting.com". First, I would use it for finding books. I would go to "Books and Authors" to find some comments or opinions on the articles/stories that they have in READ and Writing magazines. It would be helpful for writing an article about a story for English/Language Arts.

Second, I would use it to find cool websites and interesting articles. For instance, if I was curious about the National Book Festival, I would simply click on "Cool Links" and scroll down until I found the section that was talking about the National Book Festival. It's easy as 1-2-3!

Third, I would click "Writing Tips" and check out the writing tips. The tips they give are very interesting. For instance, they tell you about revising. Did you know E. B. White (author of Charlotte's Web) revised his story 8 times?

Lastly, it tells that you shouldn't give up on your writing when you are confused. In the movie A Christmas Story, the main character Ralphie has to write a theme for the teacher on what he wants for Christmas, so he writes that he wants "a Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time". He imagines his teacher saying, "Poetry. Sheer poetry, Ralph! An A+!" But when he gets back his paper, it doesn't have an "A+" on it, instead, it says, "You'll shoot your eye out!"

Those are four ways that I would use this readandwriting website.

Thanks for the raving review Esther!

Check back here tomorrow and every day for two weeks straight for Ann Arlys Bowler Poetry Contest Runners-Up!

I started reading The Horse and the Boy this weekend. It is one of the seven books in The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. In the anthology I am reading, the order of the books is as follows: 1) The Magician's Nephew, 2) The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, 3) The Horse and His Boy, 4) Prince Caspian, 5) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 6) The Silver Chair, 7) The Last Battle. A little amazon.com research just told me that the publishers of this anthology put them in this order because it is chronological.

One Canadian reviewer named "Godly Gadfly" says on amazon.com: "The chronological order makes the books more strictly allegorical than they really were intended to be..."

Another reviewer, C.N. White from Raleigh, N.C. says: "...reading these books in chronological order spoils all of the surprise and magic out of the first visit to Narnia (in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe), because we already know what's going on. ... Things don't always need to be put in chronological order. If you're going to read them, please read them in the correct order: 1) The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, 2) Prince Caspian, 3) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 4) The Silver Chair, 5) The Horse and His Boy, 6) The Magician's Nephew, and 7) The Last Battle"

I was wondering why Hollywood skipped The Magican's Nephew and started with The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe! Now it makes sense! They were being smart! What a concept!

I wish I had known about this before I started reading these books. It's too late for me. If you have any intention of picking up the Narnia Anthology (and you should, it's great!), please heed the advice of these intelligent readers.

It's really a shame that the publisher chose to put the bookss in the wrong order in the anthology. Chronology isn't always the best way to do things.

Sidenote: I told my 2 year old nephew that I was reading a book where there are talking horses. He refused to believe me. "No!" he said. I assured him that it was true and he just shook his head and walked away.

Coming to WORD tomorrow: One class' reaction to Babylon's Ark, a Center Stage play in READ. Stay tuned...

The Pulitzer Prize web site offers plenty to read and see. Of course it can't post a play on its site, but I hope to one day see winner August: Osage County one day. My fellow blogger, Audra gave it ten thumbs up (for the record, Audra only has the normal two thumbs, but she really, really liked the play).

There's so many categories and so many winners that I'll have to ask you to check it out yourself:www.pulitzer.org. Enjoy! I'm  going to check out the Investigative Journalism category myself right now.

It was announced last week that the final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be produced as not one but TWO blockbuster movies! That means that, including Book 6 we get three more Harry films! Yay!

Personally, I think this is a very smart idea. Deathly Hallows was one of the best books I have ever read and Hollywood's decision to make it a two-parter should give us a very clear, very detailed on-screen image to compliment our entire literary experience. I can't wait!

Film 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is set for theatrical release on November 21, 2008

Film 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One is set for theatrical release (hopefully) the following November (2009)

And, assuming all goes well and "You-Know-Who" doeesn't wreck everything...

Film 8: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, Part Two will come out in May, 2010.

Friends, I do believe this deserves a "Boo" and a "Yah".

BOO YAH!

Here is a phony bologna movie trailer someone put together on Youtube. It shows a bunch of old Harry Potter movie clips but is still a good way to get you amped.

Bloggy is having technical difficulties. Please stand by...

Are you standing? OK, you may sit.

For weeks now we have been unable to receive comments in our inbox. WORD is also being inundated with spam. All this makes for a very unhappy bloggy. :(

We are working hard to fix these silly problems. In the meantime, if you would like to comment on any post directly, you can send an email to word@weeklyreader.com. We are still receiving emails... just not comments.

So yeah, give us a holla. Let us know what's up! Let us know if you've tried to comment and haven't seen your comment appear.

Did you get the Animals issue of READ yet? We haven't. How's it look? Let us know at word@weeklyreader.com.

Are you reading a fantastic book? Tell us all about it at word@weeklyreader.com.

Have you written a story or poem that you want to share with us and/or the world? Email it to us at word@weeklyreader.com.

We are here. Send us anything. We will cut through the spam to get to you.

Word (@weeklyreader.com)

This is a very important question that I often ask people around me. Sure it's nice to get to know someone a little better, as shown by their choice of books. But really, I ask because I'm selfish. BECAUSE I always need something to read. And I like to go to people whose taste I trust. Just a few months ago, Audra gave me a good recommendation: Disgrace by JM Coetzee. Bryon and Deb once made me read The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon. All good recommendations!

And to tell you the truth, I really like to push my own agenda, too. I mean, I like to get people to read my favorite books. I made Bryon read The Poisonwood Bible and he got sucked into it. (Audra, Deb, Amy, what about you? I thought we all were going to bond over this book.)

Well, I just found a new way to get book suggestions and push, I mean recommend my own. It's goodreads.com, where all types of readers list, review, and recommend books. I feel that my reading possibilities have broadened more than I could ever think. And I get to count all the books I've read.

So far, I'm up to 140 that I remember. Here's to many more!

Happy Leap Year Everybody!

Well actually, it's leap year all year. I guess today is Leap Year Day? Can I get a ruling on this?

Anywho, by now you should have READ's special Time Travel issue in your classroom. It's weird because we worked on that in the past.... and now, here you are, in the present, reading it. Whoa. Cosmic man.

Well, how do you like it? Feel free to give your two cents by clicking COMMENTS below or emailing us at word@weeklyreader.com.

We have already received one observation from a very intelligent class at Holy Cross Lutheran School in Wichita, Kansas. Their teacher, Ms. Vanwey, writes

"My 7^th  graders were in a tiz concerning Time Will Tell! How did the author add together 24 and 25 to come up with 60 as the age Jon was when he came back to 2008."

Well, that's a very good question. Our math is all screwed up! When Jon Pacone returns to 2008, he should be 49, not 60! Our only sorry excuse is that we stink at math. But someone on our end definitely should have caught this oversight. All apologies to time travelers everywhere.

Also, the question was stated of whether or not Jon would have been living two different lives at once. The first being the first time he lived through those years, and the second being his return to the past self living those years. Hmm... well... you see... um... time travel is a very tricky thing involving lots of compound theories and... um... holy cow! Look! Quick! Behind you! There's a flying cow!

Moo.

Well, at least Billy Pilgrim can time travel with class.
So it goes.

It happens maybe twice a year... I don't like it anymore than you do. I am sorry to say that our blogging skills, as of late, have fallen to the wayside. Sorry about that.

I'm trying to do my best with War & Peace. I got through Part One, barely. I will try to get back into Part Two tonight. But it's not easy, let me tell ya.

Some sad news, our resident Writer's Strike/pop culture blogger, Jessica, has left our fair company. We wish her well and will miss her bloggy presence.

Also, we've got magazines. Yes, as a side-job to blogging, we also put out these two magazines called READ and Writing. And next year, we are combining the two. So there's that.

All of this adds up to lots of work for the WORD bloggers here at Weekly Reader. But wah wah wah, right?

Where's the student writing? Where's the book and author news? Where is the bloggy we know and love? My friends, I tell you, a re-birth is coming. Please sit tight and bear with us during these slow times. We promise you... the best is yet to come.

Word.

The following interviews were conducted by Weekly Reader Senior Edition editor, Laura McClure.

 

This year’s Caldecott and Newbery medal winning books transport readers into the past. Newbery-winning book, Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village, by Laura Amy Schlitz, explores life in the Middle Ages. Caldecott-winning book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick takes place in the early 1900s in France. Weekly Reader talked with both authors about their success stories. Here’s what they had to say:

 

Q&A with Brian Selznick
Weekly Reader: Which came first--the words or the illustrations?

Brian Selznick: It started just as a written story. … I thought maybe [there would be] one drawing a chapter or some spot illustrations. While I was working on the book, I started watching all these old movies and I thought it would be interesting to try to tell the story [with images] like an old movie.

 

WR: How long did it take to finish the book?

BS: I worked on the whole book for about 2 1/2 years, [including] a year to do sketches. … On a good day I could finish two complete drawings. I made them all one-quarter the size that you see in the book. … When you blow up a drawing, … it makes everything softer and lighter, like old movie stills.

 

WR: Do you see yourself in Hugo, the main character?

BS: I definitely do. … When I was a kid, I really loved to draw and to make things. Hugo is actually much better with his hands then I was as a kid. I remember being frustrated with what my hands couldn’t do.

 

WR: What advice do you have for aspiring authors or illustrators?

BS: The most important thing is to just write about or draw the things that really interest you. … A reader or someone looking at pictures very often can tell whether or not the person making the thing loved it and was really interested in it.

 

Q&A with Laura Amy Schlitz

Weekly Reader: What inspired you to write this book of monologues and dialogues?

Laura Amy Schlitz: The children [at the school where I am a librarian] study the middle ages. … They give their imaginations to it and I wanted them to have a dramatic piece [to perform] so I wrote those short plays, those monologues for them and they’ve been performing them for many years now.

 

This book shows the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Middle Ages. Why did you decide to show all aspects?

I think when you know about the Middle Ages, you can’t help realizing what a dangerous and difficult time that was. … Suppose it’s winter and you get your feet wet. You don’t have another pair of shoes. If you get frostbite, you’ll go lame. … Those are facts [of life in the Middle Ages], but it doesn’t follow that the people were all miserable. They also had hope and good days and aspirations.

 

What do you hope readers take away from this book?

I would like to think that readers can imagine that time, but I think what I want most is for readers to be able to have the excitement of pretending to be somebody else. The thrill of performing the pieces in front  of the audience—I want the readers to get the applause.

 

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a chapter book now, I’m on chapter 29 but I don’t yet know the end, I don’t know how far am I from the end and I’m just trusting that the end exists somewhere and that I will find it.

Why, hello there, fellow WORDians. How's everyone doing? Did you catch American Idol last night? I was mostly in and out of the room when it was on, but I did manage to catch that guy with the dreadlocks. He's totally my favorite right now, and it's not just because I think he's adorable. Which is he. But anyway...

With all this Idol watching, I'll admit, I haven't been able to make it to the library in awhile. Actually, I can't just blame my predilection for cheesy reality shows taking up all my time. (Although American Idol is the number one show in the country, so while you're scoffing at me for admitting I watch the show, percentage-wise, I think it's safe to assume that at least some of you watch it as well.) I also haven't been to the library in awhile because I usually end up at a bookstore and buy my books. However, this is an expensive habit, especially since I usually read the books I buy once, and then put them on a shelf and never look at them again. (Except for when I read them over and over.)

I should go to the library more. But apparently libraries are a little different than they used to be. That's right. They're not just for borrowing books anymore. Or even for borrowing cds and dvds. They're for playing video games.

That's not a typo.

Video games!

A library in Michigan has started hosting video game parties! Can you believe it? I used to get shushed for whispering a little too loudly while working on a research paper with a buddy. And now kids are playing video games there!

I guess anything that can draw people into the library is a good thing--but what about the serious readers? I don't think I'd be able to do research or sit in a corner with a good book if people were playing Guitar Hero or Dance Dance Revolution next to me.

What do you think? Do you go to the library for the books, or for the social experience?

An eyelash fell off yesterday, and I made a few wishes. World peace. To be a millionaire. To wake up and realize I'm actually married to Brad Pitt (and I look like Angelina). An end to the writers' strike.

Well, one out of four ain't bad.

That's right! The strike is over! Woo-hoo!

Television shows will start to come back pretty soon. We can catch up on all of our favorite shows. No longer is there a need to watch Rock of Love 7: Tommy Tutone Edition (Jenny, Jenny, I Really Want Your Number!) or Who Wants to Buy My Baby? or America's Next Top Paperweight Quality Control Assistant General Manager or whatever other reality show they come out with next. There will be scripted shows!

Say it with me. "Scripted." It sounds so nice rolling off the tongue.

Who would have thought the strike would have lasted three months? Who would have thought we'd miss new TV so much?

I mean, yeah, don't become a couch potato. You should still go out and see natural light once in awhile. And, of course, don't start slacking on your reading. But at least there will be options.

Now, if only my other three wishes would come true...

OK, this is really random. And no, for once this isn't going to be an entry about the on-going writers' strike. (Although, I did read that the strike might be ending soon. Yay!) But I was doing some writing today--as is required in my line of work--and I thought I did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself. But writing is so subjective. What if all my adoring fans don't like it?

Remember that scene in A Christmas Story (I'm sure you've seen it--they practically play it 24/7 in December. Not that I'm complaining, because it is a hilarious movie.) where Ralphie has to write a theme for his teacher on what he wants for Christmas?  He writes this empassioned essay about how he wants "a Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time." Then he imagines his teacher saying, "Poetry. Sheer poetry, Ralph! An A+!" Well, when he gets the paper back, there is no A+. Instead, scrawled across the top, it says "You'll shoot your eye out!"

Sigh.

Sometimes, doesn't it just feel like that? You put your heart and soul into a piece of writing, and all you get back is the proverbial "You'll shoot your eye out."

Anyway, my point (I do have one) is that it shouldn't matter what you write. OK, yes, for school, if you're assigned an essay, please follow your teacher's requirements, and do the studying and all the preperation and all that. I don't want any angry letters, please. But anyway, I really feel that it's most important to write about something you care about. And enjoy doing it. It's not the subject that matters.

So write on. Don't worry what people think about it. As they say, you can't please everyone. As long as you enjoy writing, that's all that matters. And the more you do it, the more confident you'll get with your writing, and the better you'll get.

And if you do write about how you want a BB gun, be careful.

After all, you don't want to shoot your eye out.

I was just thinking. (Yes, I tend to do that occasionally. But don't worry, it doesn't happen too frequently.) Have you ever read a book more than once? And not just twice, or even three times, but so many times that the binding is all cracked and the pages are in danger of falling out and you could probably recite it line for line?

I'm asking because right now I'm re-reading Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding for about the zillionth time. (I've also read Bridget Jones's Diary a zillion times as well. The first one is better, but Edge of Reason has its charm.) It's partially because I haven't had a chance to go to the book store in awhile, and partially because if I don't have something to read on the train I'll fall asleep and miss my stop and not be able to come in and blog for all of you, and I don't want all of you crying. I just can't handle that pressure! But anyway, I'm mostly re-reading it for the zillionth time because, well, I love it. I do. I know every joke, and I cry at the same parts every time. But I still love it. And I never get bored reading it.

It's a really weird phenomenon.

Seriously, right? I mean, I'm sure you all have read a book multiple times, and it didn't bring you any less pleasure. Maybe, if you were older when you read it again, you were able to appreciate it on a different level. Maybe it brings you comfort. Of maybe it's just an awesome book. But it's weird, because I don't think there's any other type of medium where this can be replicated.

Movies can be watched multiple times and still be enjoyable, but I feel like you need more time in between each viewing. If not, it gets a little tedious.

TV shows definitely can't be watched multiple times. For example, I love the show Lost (which starts again today, by the way, and I'm so excited!), and yesterday, last year's season finale was on. Now, I tried to watch it to get pumped for today. But, after just a few minutes, I had to turn it off. Not even Josh Holloway could keep my attention. I would much rather have been reading my book!

Now, if a hottie like Josh Holloway cannot keep my attention on a second viewing, well, then that gets my attention. It just goes to show you how much pleasure you can get from a favorite book.

So, what's your favorite book that you've read ten bajillion times? What do you like about it? Are you excited for Lost? We can compare our theories tomorrow.

I know you all know there is a writer's strike going on (because I mention it practically every time I blog. What can I say, I like TV!). But the Grammys are going to go on as scheduled.

Hear that sound? That noise was all of us collectively sighing in relief. Because seriously, in my book, it's not an award show without the scripted witty banter and the "hilarious" jokes from the presenters.

The writers struck up some sort of deal thing, and they're going to be allowed to write for the Grammys. They've been on strike for awhile, so they must all be desperate to do some writing already.

I'm glad that the Grammys will be on. A lot of my favorite performers were nominated this year for various categories: Foo Fighters, Amy Winehouse, Fergie, Rihanna (although I am kind of getting sick of "Umbrella." Ella, ella, eh, eh. Oh man, now it's going to be stuck in my head again for another three weeks), John Mayer, Justin Timberlake, and Paramore. I'm excited to see who will win.

Speaking of Paramore, I just so happen to have an interview with lead singer Hayley Williams. Want to see it? Sure you do. And if not, well, I'm not going to lie, I'm going to be a little hurt. But no pressure. Anyway, here it is:

WORD: How would you describe yourselves as a group and how would you describe your music to someone who's never heard it before?
Hayley Williams: I would say that the last record we did is fun and catchy, and the new one has an edge to it. Live, we're interactive, and fun. We don't take ourselves too seriously.

WORD: Is it weird being the only girl in the group?
Williams: There are times on the road where you feel lonely, but the dudes in the band are like my brothers. Outside of the band I only have one or two girl friends.

WORD: Are the guys ever over-protective of you when you're on the road?
Williams: [laughs] They can be sometimes.

WORD: What kind of school did you go to?
Williams: I went to a program similar to home school, but it had more interaction with other students. There were 90 students in the school. That's where I met Josh and Zac. [When the band formed] everything just sort of fit with us.

WORD: How long does it take to write a song?
Williams: Some songs might take a day or five minutes, but some might take a month. Sometimes it's easy and quick. I like hearing the music first, and then writing lyrics. The guys are good about letting me write what I feel. We're a great team. Without one of us, the band would be completely different. We hang out all the time. We're all very close.

WORD: Are your parents supportive of you playing in a band?
Williams: Our parents are all great. I think if our parents saw us struggling, they would worry more about us being away from home. They love coming to shows. Our parents are awesome.

WORD: When you were playing at school talent shows, did you know you were going to make it big? What was your defining moment as a band?
Williams: I remember when we were playing Cornerstone [a small concert]. A lot of smaller bands got their start there. I don't think we even dreamed about Warped Tour. We started [as a band] in talent shows at school and church, and moved up to being the local band. We just got really lucky.

WORD: I know you're all still in your teens. Do you guys still attend school?
Williams: Josh, Jeremy, and I just graduated. I've actually been out for about a year. I did some Internet courses while the band was on the road.

WORD: What was your favorite subject when you went to school?
Williams: I was better at English and reading than science and math.

WORD: Is that when you realized you liked writing and got interested in writing lyrics?
Williams: I do remember having a lot of assignments expressing ourselves, like journal writing—that's when I really started enjoying it. My mom was a teacher at my school when I was younger, so I always had encouragement. She always thought it was good that I said what was on my mind.

WORD: What would you want to be if you weren't in a band?
Williams: This band is our career—we want to keep doing it. For a time, I thought about going to cosmetology school to do something girly and creative and not as aggressive. But I just don't really see not being in a band right now. This is what we want to do. Paramore is our dream.

WORD: I read that some of your items of clothing are on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in Ohio. How were you selected to donate your clothes? Have you seen the exhibit?
Williams: We got extremely lucky. People from Warped Tour suggested an exhibit where they would make a time capsule where people could be exposed to Warped Tour and see what goes on there. I guess they figured we have become a big impact on the tour. We were so grateful! It's crazy that my dress is on display in a place where items from Johnny Cash, and even newer [acts] like Madonna and *NSYNC are hanging.

WORD: What's the best part about touring?
Williams: We love our fans so much! It's crazy to think how quickly things happen. We like hanging out with our fans.

WORD: Have you ever had any crazy experiences with fans?
Williams: There are always going to be some awkward run-ins. We were walking to the mall, and some kid jumped out in moving traffic! I think he wanted to give me a hug, but realized that some big people from the tour were protecting me, so he gave Josh a hug instead. He ended up following us around the mall. [But] we enjoy it because it means people are enjoying our music.

WORD: What do you like to do in your spare time?
Williams: On the road, you're in a different city every night. We [the band] love going out to eat as a group. It's really good friend time—time to build relationships. We love Mexican food and going to TGI Fridays. At home me and the guys like going to the park. We like being kids.

WORD: It sounds like you spend a lot of your free time with the band.
Williams: We all get along really, really well. We all really love each other. We love sharing everything together. It's awesome.

WORD: Do you have any advice for teens who would like to be in a band?
Williams: Know why you're doing it. You could end up doing it for the wrong reasons and get burnt out.

***

So are you happy that the writers will be writing for the Grammys? Which artists do you think will win in the different categories? Do you love Paramore as much as I do? Will we ever be able to get "Umbrella" out of our heads?

Now, if only the writers would settle the strike and come back to writing for TV, all would be right in the world. I never thought I'd say it, but I'm getting so sick of reality TV...

It's a real thing. No, seriously, the Bloggies is a real thing. Apparently this thing has been going on for eight years. Who knew?

The Bloggies is the Oscar of blogs. Well, not as prestigious as the Oscars. After all, the winner only gets a certificate, which, at least in my opinion, is not as cool as a gold statue and a basket of swag. But, at least winners don't have to worry about it being canceled on account of the on-going writer's strike, like the Golden Globes were canceled this year.

So anyway, for the Bloggies, you get to vote for your favorite blog. There are all sorts of categories to vote for too. Lots of cool ones were nominated ... however, I did notice one huge snub! That's right, WORD was not nominated! Can you believe it? I think we should all start a write-in campaign. Who's with me?

Well, despite the glaring omission of WORD (must have been an oversight by the nominating committee--don't worry, I'll write them an angry letter), I think honoring good blogs is a great idea. Blogging allows everyone to express themselves, to share opinions, to write! [Shameless plug: write for WORD! Send your entries here!] And the great thing is that anyone can blog. Do you have an interest? advice? time to kill? Write a blog about it! Anyone can do it. There's no better way to get your writing out to the masses.

Do you have a favorite blog (besides for WORD, obviously)? Who are you voting for in the Bloggies? And could you please get me some swag?

I finished reading An Arsonist's Guide To Writers Homes In New England. It was good. I wasn't thrilled with the ending though. You know how no matter how much you dislike a protagonist, you still have to root for him/her? Well this is one of those books that really pushes your likability limit. I kept wanting to grab the main character and shake him, screaming, "What's wrong with you? Why don't you just tell your wife the truth?"

Well ok then, so now what? The great War & Peace challenge doesn't start til February 1. Seeing that I can't wait that long to read another book, I started reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy last night. So far it's about a post-apocalyptic world. A boy and his father are walking down a road. Woo Hoo. It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2007. After reading the first 50 pages, I can't for the life of me see why. I'm hoping it gets better. I think I heard somewhere that there are cannibals in it.

Shrug. I'll have to get back to you.

Word.

Say it isn't so.

In the saddest news since Barbie left Ken, today it was announced that one of comic books' most beloved couples, Peter Parker and Mary Jane are breaking up.

No!

I wonder what went wrong in the relationship. Did Spidey leave his webs all over the house? Was MJ just not as exciting as she used to be?

It's so sad when fictional characters break up. (And no, that's not sarcasm.) Even though they aren't real, people are invested in these relationships, and it's kind of sort of, well, heartbreaking. When people are little, they imagine what their significant other will be like, and often hope the story will be like one of their favorite literary romances. Or maybe that's just me? Well anyway ...

There are so many great couples in literature and comics. Superman and Lois Lane. There's everyone's classic choice, Romeo and Juliet. (Although I do hope you take the romance figuratively, in the sense that they do everything in their power to be together and that love is the only thing that matters. The whole "both people end up dead and everything ends in tragedy" thing is a little much for a real-life romance.) There's Scarlett and Rhett from Gone With the Wind. Oh, and Jennifer Cavalleri and Oliver Barrett IV from Love Story. (Although that romance ends in tragedy as well.) The list goes on and on.

My favorite literary couple is Bridget Jones and Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones's Diary. (Actually, they're just a modern version of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, which is also a super-romantic couple.) And no, I don't just love them because Colin Firth plays Mark in the movie and he's completely gorgeous. (Although that doesn't hurt.) It's just that Mark comes to her rescue and is always there for her and you just know that he really loves her ... swoon.

Anyway, what are some of your favorite literary couples, and why do you like them? What do you think of the breakup of Peter Parker and Mary Jane? And are you just as upset as I am that a fictional couple just broke up? I really thought those crazy kids could make it work. Well, if you'll excuse me, I think I need to eat a pint of ice cream and blast some Alanis Morissette ...

"Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing."
  - Salvador Dali

What do you think this quote means in terms of writing? Do you agree with it? Click comments below and let us know.

Then, time travel to late February and read the Leap Year issue of READ magazine.

See you there...

We all know plagiarism is bad. And since this is a reading and writing blog, plagiarism probably ranks up there with murder in terms of evilness. OK, maybe not murder. But it is bad. And according to some, Jessica Seinfeld, wife of Jerry, allegedly plagiarized her cookbook Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food. And she's being compared to assassins.

Allegedly (We must be sure not to assign blame until it is proven one way or the other. After all, I certainly cannot afford to get sued. Especially by someone with pockets as deep as Seinfeld.), the book was eerily similar to The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals by Missy Chase Lapine.

Did she do it? I don't know. Both cookbooks involve finding ways to get kids to eat healthy. Both came out around the same time. Both have really, really, really long names. (I mean seriously, the cookbook names sound like the titles of emo songs or something. Come on Fall Out Boy, "Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows)" is too long for the name of a song! But I digress.) But is it plagiarism?

Maybe it's just a coincidence. The world is fraught with similar products. Look at Coke and Pepsi. Or ... other things that are similar, which I can't seem to think of right now. But there are plenty.

If Mrs. Seinfeld did in fact plagiarize the idea, she should be punished, and not just because she's rich and I'm jealous. (Although I am.) Plagiarism is bad. We've established this already. I don't know if I would say it's as bad as being an assassin. Well a literal assassin anyway. Wait a minute. If you're a plagiarist, aren't you technically a literal assassin, because you're killing something literary? OK, that's a stretch, I know, but I totally just blew my mind with that.

Well anyway, has anyone actually seen these two cookbooks? Are they that similar? Would you eat your vegetables if they were hidden in something delicious? I would probably end up picking them out and hiding them in the couch cushions or something, but that's just me. Anyway, don't plagiarize, kids!