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The Best (Fictional) Mom in the World

By on May 6, 2016   /   Book Lists, Op-Ed  

Hey, MUF peeps! Mother’s Day is just around the corner (yay for moms!). We all know that being a mom isn’t always an easy job (even more so in literature, where the moms are often clueless, absent, or well, lucky to be alive at all…).

So! In honor of all the awesome moms out there, I’d like to celebrate some of my favorite mothers in middle-grade fiction. Without further ado, here they are!

Caroline Ingalls: What can I say, when I was a kid I really, really wanted to be Laura Ingalls and live in a little house on the prairie with Ma and Pa. I even had the bonnet. See?

The author at age six, in her bonnet waiting to move to the prairie.

The author at age six, in her bonnet, waiting to move to the prairie.

Mrs. Quimby, Ramona’s mom: Another favorite from my childhood, not that I was a pest or anything. Just ask my brother, he’ll tell you… um, I mean, nevermind. Ahem. Anyway, Ramona’s mom was great, because she seemed like a real mom (and I kinda loved that she let Ramona be Ramona–quirks and all).

Gigi’s mom in The Truth About Twinkie Pie: No spoilers, but I loved this charming story about motherly love that is part mystery and part coming-of-age — with recipes, too boot!

But my all-time favorite fictional mom is, hands down: Molly Weasley of Harry Potter. Maybe it’s just that we have so much in common — I mean, MY kids are redheads! And of course, I can cast spells and create a patronus and… okay, well, we do have the redhead thing in common. But I guess Mrs. Weasley just speaks to the mom in me — she loves, encourages and protects her kids, she’s kindhearted but tough (and more than willing to send a Howler when her son does something he shouldn’t…)

Then, of course, there’s this, which is quite possibly the best mom moment in all of book/movie history:

Yeah, don’t go messing with Mama Bear and her cubs…

So tell me, who is YOUR favorite fictional mom! Let me know in the comments below. And Happy Mother’s Day to all of our Mixed-Up Files mommas–enjoy your day. You’ve earned it!

Jan Gangsei is the author of ZERO DAY (Disney-Hyperion, 2016), and several middle-grade series for Working Partners Ltd. She’s the mom of two awesome redheads (who are both probably relieved Howlers are not an actual thing…). Say hi to her at www.jangangsei.com.

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Time

By on May 4, 2016   /   For Writers, Writing  

It heals all things.
It is a conqueror.
It is of the essence
It flies.
It stands still.
It is fleeting.
It is an illusion.
It can be begged, borrowed, or stolen.
It can be lost, found, or wasted.

Time.

As writers, we all are well aware of time. It can be one of our biggest pains in the derriere. There is never enough of it, it seems, so we must constantly be aware of how we manage time to write, time to research, time to market, and time to be human.

We fight time, sure. But, we can also use time to our writing advantage. Understanding the value of time and an awareness of time in our writing is an essential and learned skill.

The classic story structure, with a beginning, a middle, and an end, is a timeline. We, as readers, are pretty much hardwired to this three-part structure and the most satisfying stories we consumed usually follow this structure. Certain narrative things happen at certain narrative times and we expect it. We’ve been grounded in this timeline for stories. We can use this structure of a linear time scale to help us create resonance in our stories and connect with our readers.

Another integral function of time is pacing. Pacing/timing can be an effective tool in any story, but is especially important to middle grade stories. Finding the proper beat of the story keeps it flowing in rhythm and helps establish the essential middle grade character voice.

At the other end of the writer/time spectrum is an awareness of middle-grade time and how it differs from the adult time. Perception of time changes with age. My 50+-year long view of time has to be reigned in and corralled when the perspective of a 10-year-old is what’s necessary. This can sometimes be a tough thing to do, but it is also a very rewarding thing to do. We get to step outside of our “oldness” and be a kid again. Do you remember time as a kid? Completely different from the hustle and bustle of adulthood.

For the old man me, time ticks by like flaps of wings, in rapid succession always moving forward. When I was a kid, time had a life of its own. Sometimes it flowed like ice-cold molasses. The slow drag of the school year or the long, dog days of summer, or waiting for the holidays. Sometimes time was a snap of a finger, like at recess or lunch, or skateboarding down the big hill at the church. Sometimes it even seemed to stand still, like night swimming or fishing with your Grandparents, or getting the game-winning hit.

So remember, time is on your side.

Use it to its maximum potential in both your creative works and when you’re working creatively.

Speaking of time, it’s time for me for get back to work on this draft.

Because, as the saying goes, “Time and tide wait for no man”. Nor woman. Nor middle grade writer.

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By User:S Sepp – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2949887

 

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