A Thoroughly Enjoyable Distraction
Oh, so many things I could write about as distractions from writing! Yesterday it was a lousy night's sleep the night before; the day before that, it was doctor and dentist appointments (mine and my kids'). But over spring break, I CHOSE a distraction, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
When Publishers Weekly announced in its deal memo that Laurie Boyle Crompton had just inked a contract for a book that was a combination of 80s movies Groundhog Day and Pretty in Pink, I began the countdown until the book would hit stands. Finally, with the kids out of school for a full week (read: no lessons to drive them to, etc.), I was able to dig in.
This wholesome novel (seriously, you could hand it to your 12-year-old and not worry about profanity or sexual situations you'd rather not discuss yet) is every bit as fun as an 80s movie classic. And as someone who grew up on those movies, it was fun to see that Crompton incorporated not only the two mentioned in the "elevator pitch" summary, but also touched on just about every other classic 80s movie as well. I liked the way that her protagonist, Andie (named after Molly Ringwald's character in Pretty in Pink, natch), cast a critical eye on the problematic aspects of the films while also appreciating them for what they were. (For example, it's crazy to think that we all watched Sixteen Candles without being alarmed by the suggestion that sexual assault is A-OK if your girlfriend is shallow, mean, and too drunk to know what's happening...what was wrong with society back then!?) I also loved that Andie's supposed rival is a gorgeous brunette named Kaia. I wondered if Crompton chose to name her after the daughter of Cindy Crawford, the official goddess of the 80s. (Cindy's daughter is basically her mom 2.0--drop-dead gorgeous as well.)
So, over spring break, I didn't write very much, but it was time well spent. And as an added bonus, I feel that the break from work opened up my creativity for the coming weeks.
Sometimes, it's great to be distracted.
When Publishers Weekly announced in its deal memo that Laurie Boyle Crompton had just inked a contract for a book that was a combination of 80s movies Groundhog Day and Pretty in Pink, I began the countdown until the book would hit stands. Finally, with the kids out of school for a full week (read: no lessons to drive them to, etc.), I was able to dig in.
This wholesome novel (seriously, you could hand it to your 12-year-old and not worry about profanity or sexual situations you'd rather not discuss yet) is every bit as fun as an 80s movie classic. And as someone who grew up on those movies, it was fun to see that Crompton incorporated not only the two mentioned in the "elevator pitch" summary, but also touched on just about every other classic 80s movie as well. I liked the way that her protagonist, Andie (named after Molly Ringwald's character in Pretty in Pink, natch), cast a critical eye on the problematic aspects of the films while also appreciating them for what they were. (For example, it's crazy to think that we all watched Sixteen Candles without being alarmed by the suggestion that sexual assault is A-OK if your girlfriend is shallow, mean, and too drunk to know what's happening...what was wrong with society back then!?) I also loved that Andie's supposed rival is a gorgeous brunette named Kaia. I wondered if Crompton chose to name her after the daughter of Cindy Crawford, the official goddess of the 80s. (Cindy's daughter is basically her mom 2.0--drop-dead gorgeous as well.)
So, over spring break, I didn't write very much, but it was time well spent. And as an added bonus, I feel that the break from work opened up my creativity for the coming weeks.
Sometimes, it's great to be distracted.
Crompton's so cool. That cover's got an '80s vibe, too, I think.
ReplyDeleteYes! I loved the cover too!
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