Day 5: Nina Nelson's A Lover of Words

It's our last day with Nina Nelson for the launch of her debut novel Bringing the Boy Home and while we've gotten to know many new things about her (like that she knows where to buy bug lollies) we want to know more! So, Nina, tell us something random about you!

I love picking out cards for people. I don’t always remember special occasions, but you might very well receive a “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” card from me any random day that says, “I have no idea when your actual birthday is, but when I saw this, I thought of you.”

Back before I considered myself a writer, I found this card:



(For those of you who can’t find your glasses: first check the top of your head and if they’re not there, I’ve re-typed the words below.)

“You are a lover of words. One day, you will write a book. People turn to you because you give voices to dreams, notice little things, and make otherwise impossible imaginings appear real. You are a rare bird who thinks the world is beautiful enough to try to figure it out, who has the courage to dive into your wild mind and go swimming there. You are someone who still believes in cloud watching, people watching, daydreaming, tomorrow, favorite colors, silver clouds, dandelions, and sorrow. Be sacred. Be cool. Be wild. Go far. Words do more than plant miracle seeds. With you writing them, they can change the world.”

Now, I’m not one for sappy sentiments; I’m always sending the cartoon-y card with the six-word punch line on the inside, but this poem struck me in the gut. After reading it, my overwhelming feeling was, “Wow. This is a great! Who can I send it to?” and then I got a little sad; I wished someone had sent me this card…(in retrospect maybe someone did…maybe that’s why I was in that Mail Depot store on that day with an extra ten minutes on my hands. Hmmm, that’s an interesting thought.)

Anyway, this past week, when I was cleaning up, I found the card taped inside one of my old journals and upon re-reading, it punched me in the gut again. But this time, I knew exactly who I was going to send it to, so…

“Lovers of Words” and readers of this blog, I’m sending this card out to you.

Imagine on the inside that I’ve written:

“Dear Lover of Words:

I don’t know when your actual birthday is, but when I saw this card, I thought of you.”

Now get off the Internet (after you’ve ordered Bringing the Boy Home from the bookstore of your choice, of course) and go write!

Be well,

Nina (N.A.) Nelson

Thank you Nina!

No, no, thank you Nina! It's been wonderful getting to know more about you and more about Bringing the Boy Home. Have a wonderful launch party and we'll be wanting a picture of you eating those bug lollies, okay?

Day 4: Tour of Bringing the Boy Home

Ever wanted to go deep into the Amazon but didn't have enough frequent flier miles or bug repellent? Well here's your chance! Join Nina Nelson as she gives you the full tour!

When I was writing Bringing the Boy Home I frequently looked back at the photo album I’d compiled from my vacation to the Amazon back in 2001. I had gone with my husband, my sister and my mother-in-law and it wasn’t hard to recall the sounds, sights and feelings of the rainforest after looking at the below pictures and re-watching the video. We stayed at the Explorer’s Inn Lodge, a research camp on the Rio Tambopata. Interestingly enough, we were the only people staying there except for: two students, the camp cook (from a local village) and the guys who were fixing one of the thatched roofs.

Okay, so let’s start at the beginning:

In Bringing the Boy Home, an anthropologist named Juan Diego picked Sara and Tirio up from the airport and took them to the research camp where they were staying. In reality, a fellow named Juan Diego picked our little group up from the airport and took us to the research camp where we were staying. But he was not a portly anthropologist--rather he was a young, thin research student who was staying at the Explorer’s Inn Lodge and paying for his room and board by playing tour guide. Below you can see the outboard canoes that we rode in for six hours on our way to the lodge. This is what I imagined Sara traveling in when she found Tirio floating down the river and it is also what I imagined the two of them riding in when they returned to the jungle a couple days before Tirio’s thirteenth birthday.

Pic 2 shows me (I’m the one without the mustache) and the “real” Juan Diego. I’m sipping the tea that the camp cook made for my bellyache. After Juan Diego explained that I had an upset stomach (in what I’m assuming was Portuguese) the cook picked up a machete, went out back, returned with a bunch of leaves and brewed me a tea. Half an hour later…I was all better. Cool, huh?

These are the huts where we stayed. No electricity, HUGE water bugs (roaches on steroids for those of you who have never lived down South) that kept leaping out from unexpected places and mosquito netting around the beds. Strangely enough, this looks just like the research camp where I had Sara and Tirio stay when they went back to the Amazon. Hmmmmm. I even have a little (or should I say HUGE) discussion between the two of them about the water bug/roaches!



As for the local party animals:

This is Pablo..or is it Pedro? Anyway, this clown and his swine brother used to be wild piggies but had become semi-tame after being fed scraps from the kitchen. They were a constant source of entertainment for us and I envisioned their antics a lot when I wrote about Sulali’s pet tapir, Tambo.


Another friend of ours was, Willie the Macaw. I used him as my muse for the parrots gnawing at the clay lick leading to Tirio’s tributary. Willie was rescued when some poachers caught him and tried to take him overseas to sell. Juan Diego told us the poachers stuff the baby birds in paper towel rolls and then hide them in their luggage. Grrrrr….I’d like to show those poachers what a paper towel roll stuffing feels like! Anyway, Willie was unable to go back to the wild and now lives at the lodge. Here he is hanging out with my sister.


Here I am feeling like I’m on the movie set of, Honey, I Shrunk the Author. This is a banana leaf. The locals use them as roofing material for their huts. I used them in the book as Mother Nature’s umbrella to shield Tirio from the many downpours I put him through.

And THAT was my experience in the Amazon rain forest. And THAT is what helped me to write Bringing the Boy Home. I just wish I could have added some howler monkeys or birds as background music. I guess you’ll have to go to the Amazon jungle to hear THAT for yourself.

Day 3: N.A. Nelson's Welcomes You to the Jungle!

There's nothing quite like having your very first launch party. Here at the 2K8 blog we try to do it up right with lots of fun topics and cyber drinks and goodies, but there were a few requests, we just couldn't provide for Nina Nelson's launch of Bringing the Boy Home. You know, what... let's just let her tell you what will be included at her real world launch party!

Well, my actual release party isn’t actually until July 12. When your book comes out the Tuesday before the July 4th weekend, you kind of push your launch party to the weekend after everyone will be celebrating our nation’s independence.

But…that won’t stop me from telling you what we’re gonna do!!!!

Here’s the invitation:

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

THREE YEARS AGO, JOHN BOUGHT A ROUND OF SHOTS FOR AN ENTIRE IRISH BAR TO CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT NINA SOLD HER BOOK.
THAT WAS JUNE 2005.
NOW ON JULY 12, 2008, WE’RE CELEBRATING AGAIN! AND
THIS TIME, IT’S BECAUSE BRINGING THE BOY HOME IS FINALLY IN STORES!
SO GRAB THE ENTIRE TRIBE AND SWING ON OVER TO THE NELSON HUT FOR OUR
“WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE”
PARTY!

RSVP:
Yeah, I’m definitely swinging by!
Or
No, sorry, a monkey bit me in the butt, I can’t make it.

So imagine it:

Tiki torches,

Tribal masks,

Bongo drums,

AND… Chocolate covered crickets; Bar-B-Que, Cheddar Cheese or Mexican Spice flavored worm larvets; AND bug lollies!

That’s right…in Bringing the Boy Home, Tirio actually eats some grubs and claims they taste like warm cheese, so…in staying true to the book’s theme, edible bugs will be provided.

Consider yourself invited!

Day 2: N.A. Nelson Caught Off Guard

I love to be caught off-guard when I’m writing. I pray for those magic moments, especially on days when I’m dragging myself to the keyboard.

My first surprise was when Luka’s sister, Karara showed up:

I was typing away at a scene and out of the corner of my mind, this teen girl walks in carrying a basket on her hip. Her hair was divided into eight braids and she had attitude. I remember thinking “Well, hello, who are you?” And while I typed, she rolled her eyes and flipped her head, and in no uncertain terms let me know exactly who she was. She’s one of the strongest characters in the book and definitely one of my favorites—and she was totally unplanned. Magic.

My second surprise came when I left a gate open in a scene:

Luka was doing a trial run of his “seeing” test and when he gets to the wash area, he notices that the entrance gate of the wash area—usually closed to keep caiman out—is ajar. I have no idea why I wrote it that way, perhaps to create an eerie mood; anyway I went about my merry way and forgot about it. But several months and several chapters later, a friend reminded me during critique group, “You left the gate open back in the Punhana scene; is that going to come into play later?” To which I replied. “Hmmmm, I did, didn’t I? Better figure that out.”
And lo and behold, in the next chapter, that gate being open provided the perfect puzzle piece to connect two pieces of the story. Yeah, I planned it that way all along.

My last surprise, was the biggie: how the boys were related:

I had no idea, but I knew I didn’t want to it to be obvious. The truth is, up until a certain point, their stories were not related: Tirio was in Florida and Luka was in the Amazon, so I didn’t have to worry about the relationship. But then, when the time came for their paths to cross, I remember thinking “Oh, man. I really painted myself into a corner here.” So I strapped my 14 month old daughter in the Kelty backpack, leashed up our two Weimaraners, Abby and Eli, (RIP-Eli) and headed for a little wooded trail by our house.

(Not hard to imagine a jungle scene when you’re walking through this, huh?)

This was a well-tread route for me; and it had gotten me out of a lot of “What now?” writer situations. And on this turn in the road: as clear as if I’d planned it all along—the boys’ relationship came to me. And I remember smiling and feeling such a load lift and thinking,

“That’s it. OMG, how perfect, how gosh-darn perfect. That’s it.” Phew!

Get Ready for N.A. Nelson!

Last week was hot, but this week will be even hotter! We've got N.A. Nelson in the house all week for the launch of her debut novel Bringing the Boy Home! Whoo hooo!

"I've seen what the world does to the weak. It'll eat you alive."

Tirio was cast out of the Takunami tribe at a very young age because of his disabled foot. But an American woman named Sara adopted him, and his life has only gotten better since. Now, as his thirteenth birthday approaches, things are nearly perfect. So why is he having visions and hearing voices calling him back to the Amazon?


Luka has spent his whole life preparing for his soche seche tente, a sixth-sense test all Takunami boys must endure just before their thirteenth birthday. His family's future depends on whether or not he passes this perilous test. His mother has dedicated herself to making sure that no aspect of his training is overlooked . . . but fate has a way of disturbing even the most carefully laid plans.

Two young boys. An unforgiving jungle. One shared destiny.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: N.A. NELSON

N.A. Nelson was born in London, England and grew up on a cattle farm in rural Missouri. Living on a thousand acres of wilderness provided plenty of opportunities for adventure, but it also created a sense of wonderment about what else was out here. After graduating with a degree in tourism, the author strapped on a backpack and has been exploring the world ever since. Recent journeys include the jungles of the Amazon and the glaciered peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

How the book came about: “The idea for this story came from an experience I had while staying at a scientific research camp in Brazil. On my second night there, I developed a stomachache and asked our guide, Juan Diego, for some local medicine. He translated my problem to the camp cook, who grabbed a machete, went into the woods, chopped some leaves off a tree and brewed me a mild flavored tea.

As the cook handed me the cup, I realized that I was about to drink the same tea that he prepared for his own family. All of a sudden, the differences between us—our skin color, our country of origin, our place in life—disappeared. We were both just flesh and blood trying to make a sick person feel better. This realization actually became a theme of the book itself and allowed me to write about a culture of which I was not actively a part.


REVIEWS


"Told in two distinctive voices, this imaginative and beautifully realized novel, set in the Amazon, tells the story of two boys from the fictional Takunami tribe, who on the eve of their 13th birthdays must endure the soche seche tente, a test of manhood. If a Takunami boy successfully completes this ordeal, he will have warrior status in the tribe and be allowed to meet his father, who psychically guides him during the experience. Tirio, who was ousted from the tribe because of a bad foot, has not been formally trained. But now that his birthday approaches, he has been hearing the voices of his ancestors and knows that despite his lack of preparation, he is being called upon to meet his destiny. Luka, who has spent his childhood working toward this moment under the tutelage of his strong-willed mother, is ready. Their stories connect in a surprising yet totally believable way, giving psychological depth to this richly hued novel about the winding turns of destiny and the bonds between father and son, tribe and family." ~Kirkus Review



"Refreshing, well put-together, and completely original." ~Teensreadtoo.com (5 star review)

In the Book Reviewer Hot Seat: And Another Book Read

She's shown us lots of love, but that doesn't mean we're going to go easy on her! That's right Tasha, it's your turn in the hot seat! And for our wonderful readers, it's your turn to enter to win Bringing the Boy Home by N.A. Nelson! All you need to do is leave a comment before June 29th. Winner will be announce June 30th. Okay,the Class of 2K8 knows our next guest very well, but you may not--so let's get started with some quick facts!



What's your handle? And Another Read, but I usually go by my real name which is Tasha.
What kind of books do you review? I mostly review YA books, but I'm starting to get into MG books as well. Sometimes there are a few adult books thrown in there as well.


Approx # of books reviewed? Probably around 100
Where can we find your reviews? http://andanotherbookread.blogspot.com/
Reading turn-ons: When the author makes me think, great characters, exciting plots, and some good romance is always fun!!
Reading turn-offs: Slow and confusing plots, your run of the mill characters, not being able to fully picture the situation.
Class of 2K8 books reviewed:
the opposite of invisible
i heart you, you haunt me
alive and well in prague new york
read my lips
shift
la petite four
undone
bringing the boy home
to come: bewitching season, dragon wishes, a horse her own, samantha hanson has rocks in her head, the magic thief, and my so called family.




You are made of Awesome! Also awesome are the crazy handles book reviewers come up with—tell us how you came up with yours! A little bit about how you got into book reviewing would be cool too.

I first started blogging as a way to share books, as not many of my friends read. So when I decided to finally set up my blog I brainstormed with my mom on good names. Not long after we had started did she come up with, And Another Book Read. I loved it as it seems I was always finishing a book, and thus the blog was born!!

Love it! Nothing like the satisfaction of finishing a book, even when we wish the book kept going and going! So let's get to the nitty gritty...the ratings. Describe your grading system and how that translates to the reader?

I don't really have a rating system like stars or out of 10, but I clearly express my feelings in the opinion part of my review. I feel this gives the reader a chance to hear my opinion, but also formulate their own.

That's a great system. Now, how do you pick the books you review? Or are they picked for you? Do you ever read books that wouldn't normally interest you—and if so have you ever been surprised by what you've read?

The books I review are usually sent to me or off of my shelf (which contain an amazing amount of unread books!) and sometimes from the library. As my name gets out there more and more I have been receiving more books to review, but I honestly love it and wouldn't have it any other way! I definitely read a ton of books that I wouldn't generally pick up. Some of my favorite books are ones that I have been asked to review that I wouldn't have pick out in the store. I even have found a new love in the vampire books after reading Claudia Gray's Evernight.

Reader Rabbit 1 loves the vamps too. You have heard of Edward haven't you? Speaking of hearing about delicious things...what are the best ways to find new books? Any advice for authors about getting their book noticed by reviewers?

The best way to find new books for me is to either go to the bookstore and pull out every one that has an interesting cover, or read author's blogs. Author's blogs always have great links to new authors and books and also some reviewers. I think the best way for author's to get their books noticed by reviewers is to have a website and/or MySpace. This enables the reviewers to easily contact authors about reviews and make the authors a little bit more familiar with the reviewers.

We have both! (shameless plug coming) Website and MySpace. Sorry, couldn't resist. Now, if you really aren't feeling a book—will you make the ultimate sacrifice and finish it for the sake of the review?

Of Course. I feel that since the author put their time and effort into writing the book then it is the least I owe them to actually finish it. Some great books that I have read have started out really slowly but then ended up good. In my review I really try not to bash the book, but do point out how it got better.

And what about if you really love a book—will you read it again? If so—what are some of the books you just had to read more than once?

O yes. I believe I've read some books like 7 or 8 times. But it's not as bad as my sister who loves Lisa Schroeder's, I Heart You, You Haunt Me, so much that she's read it over 20 times!! Some books that I've read multiple times are Silver Dollar Girl by Katherine Ayers, Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism by Georgia Byng and it's sequels, and of course the Harry Potter books. This doesn't include all the books I read as a little kid as there are so many the list would be endless!

Your sister is also made of awesome! Now, back to the reviews, do you have a basic philosophy on what should be included in a review—or does it depend on the book itself?

I think it depends on the book. I always give a summary of what the book is about and then my opinion, but what's actually in my opinion changes every time. I really like to focus on the positive aspects of the book, but then also tell about what I don't like. This can range from the characters to the plot to even the author's style. It all just really depends on the book!

True, each book is different. Tell us about the last time your jaw dropped open, you laughed, or you cried while reading a book.

Hmm…well a lot o f books come to mind such as Undone by Brooke Taylor, Girl, Hero by Carrie Jones, House of Dance by Beth Kephart and Alive and Well in Prague New York, by Daphne Grab. All made me laugh and cry and just all around were great books. While I'm sure there are others these are the ones that really stood out in my mind, which is saying something as I read a ton of books!

Did you know Carrie Jones was in the Class of 2k7? *waves to Carrie* Oops sorry, back to business...Is there any character in a book that you wish would come to life? Or any place you wish existed?

I totally wish Harry Potter could come to life!! It would be amazing to be able to do magic and just be friends with the all around great guy Harry is! It would also be amazing if Narnia was real. I mean we get to see it in the amazing movies, but it would be even better if it were real and we could experience it. What could be bad about an alternate world where you could stay for ages and then return to reality not a minute older?!

That would be cool! Hey, wait--did you just travel to an alternate universe without us knowing about it? Spooky. Okay, what books do you find yourself recommending over and over and why?

Definitely all of Beth Kephart's book, Molly Moon, A Great and Terrible Beauty, Alive and Well in Prague, New York, The Luxe, it all just depends on the person's favorite genre or what they are willing to try. These books all hold a special place in my heart. They are all amazing and definitely deserve to be recognized. I especially think that these books would work for anyone, so I try and get their names out there.

We love that! But there are, erm, some thing we don't love. And I have to ask... the E.S.Q.—really bad reviews—do you ever fear giving them? Ever had an author get upset with you? (It's okay—you can tell us, just don't name names!) And what advice do you have for authors who get a bad review?

I have given a couple. I mean I always try to point out the good, but sometimes it's really just not there. I always feel really bad giving them, but like I said before sometime it's just not there and why should we read bad books when there are phenomenal ones out there? I haven't necessarily ever had an author get mad at me, but I've had one ask me to take my review down. This was because it was one of the first links to pop up on google and it wasn't the most positive. I understand the author not wanting everyone to know that someone had a negative opinion of their book, but I don't think that people should form their opinions of a book on just one review. I think author's who get poor reviews should take the criticism and use it to improve their next book. I can't tell you the number of author's who have one disappointing book and then a marvelous one follows. Definitely the author with the best attitude about this subject is Alexa Young. She takes every bit of criticism and uses it constructively, and she's hilarious about it!!

Great advice! Thanks for all the wonderful answers! One last question: if they aren't scared off by all that bad review talks and an author would like you to review her book, what should she do?

For me all the author has to do is contact me. My email is up on my blog or you can contact me via MySpace. I usually accept all requests unless they are for books that don't really fit into the age group of books I like to read. But if the books sounds interesting then I definitely go for it and review the book for the author.


Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win N.A. Nelson's debut novel Bringing the Boy Home (officially launching on our blog this Monday! Same day as winners will be announced), here's what Tasha had to say about it:

"I think this was definitely the most unique and original coming-of-age story I have ever read!" And Another Book Read

And Kirkus loved it too:

"Told in two distinctive voices, this imaginative and beautifully realized novel, set in the Amazon, tells the story of two boys from the fictional Takunami tribe, who on the eve of their 13th birthdays must endure the soche seche tente, a test of manhood. ... Their stories connect in a surprising yet totally believable way, giving psychological depth to this richly hued novel about the winding turns of destiny and the bonds between father and son, tribe and family." Kirkus Review

(Click here for more great Hot Seat interviews)