X is for Crossover

Try as I might, I couldn't come up with a book to write about for X. This happened when I wrote about songs for the challenge two years ago, so I decided to use the same topic, crossover popularity.

I was late to the Harry Potter party. I was in my early twenties and had a snobby attitude of Why would I want to read children's books? A good friend finally talked me in to giving the first book a try. Of course I loved it and flew through the rest, then becoming one of the eager masses anxiously awaiting the release of the next title! Those books are beautifully written, getting a little bit darker with each installment. When I finished the last book, I felt lost.

I assumed the Harry Potter books were an anomaly. I couldn't imagine there would be any other "kids' books" as good as those so I returned to my comfort zone of contemporary "adult" novels for several years.

Then the Twilight craze hit. I didn't notice it at first, but when I did I avoided the books because let's me honest, it sounds lame. A friend sent me a copy of the first book so I dove in and, BIG SURPRISE, I thought it was fantastic and got totally sucked in to the drama. So of course I sped through the rest of the series, but this time I was disappointed. I liked the second book a lot, thought the third was meh and could barely get through the last one.  To this day, I absolutely adore that first book. I've read it at least three times. I'm not saying it's a literary feat, but I enjoy it a great deal!

Since then, I've dropped all my preconceived notions about any genre. I realized I was severely limiting myself by thinking I "couldn't" read something due to my age. Now, I'll read anything. I love that there's so much possibility out there.

I've tried some YA and hated it (Hunger Games, Maze Runner) but loved others (John Green, Cassandra Clare) which goes for any genre I read. I love contemporary novels but recently had to quit one a friend sent because I just didn't like it one bit. And I felt terrible about it!

But with so many options when it comes to reading material, I do wonder why these YA titles become so popular. Sure some of them are spectacular stories that are well written but not all of them. Does it have anything to do with the fact that the average American reads at a 8th grade level? Did you even know that? The statistics I found are unimaginable. I guess if 44% of American adults don't read a single book in a year, those who do read should be encouraged, no matter what titles they choose.

Do you read YA/ Why or why not? And what do you think about The Literacy Project Foundation's statistics?

Good Grief

The news of Alan Rickman's death, announced a mere three days after David Bowie's, sent me reeling for the second time this week. Although I've never met either of these men, my life has been affected by both of them through their careers.

I was raised by music loving parents through the 70's and 80's. I don't recall a time in my life when I didn't know who David Bowie was. I can't pinpoint the first time I saw Labyrinth or heard Let's Dance, I've always known them. From the posts I've seen on Facebook, I know there are scores of us with vivid memories of The Goblin King from our childhoods!

Similarly, there's now a whole generation of people who have grown up with the Harry Potter world and Rickman's embodiment of Severus Snape.

Personally, my favorite of Alan Rickman's film roles is that of Harry in Love Actually. It's one of my favorite movies of all time, despite the fact that I'm not generally a RomCom type of gal. When I was starting out on my own after my divorce, I watched that movie so many times. I connected with each of the characters in some way, as I navigated through cycles of hope and grief. It's a beautiful story that shows all sides of love and loss, whether it be romantic or family or friendship. If you've never seen it, please watch it this weekend. If you've seen it before, watch it again this weekend. I know I will!

I received the news of the passing of both of these great men from Facebook posts. (Whether or not it's a healthy habit to have, I check my Facebook first thing in the morning while I'm still lying in bed.)

For all the negative press social media gets, and Facebook in particular, it cannot be denied that it is a place of unity, a place where we come together in times of crisis, or joy or outrage, to share our opinions and connect with like-minded souls.

I know people who say "So what? Celebrities are people just like the rest of us. No big deal." I both agree and disagree with this line of thinking. Yes, celebrities are people just like us, but they are a big deal and we are all a big deal. Maybe it's not on a global scale or Harry Potter level but we all affect each other every single day.

As I've scrolled through my social media accounts, and read posts from people who knew David Bowie and from fans who never met him, I was struck by these strong connections. Then I saw it again in regard to Alan Rickman. If you haven't already, you need to read this post Daniel Radcliffe wrote about working with Rickman. That's powerful stuff. I'm sure it brought Daniel comfort to be able to share those feelings with his fans.

Social media has changed the world in many ways. Some can be viewed as negative but the frivolous uses of it so often over shadow the positive, loving uses: connection, finding your tribe, sharing your thoughts with the world. Previous generations didn't have the opportunities that we do when it comes to this so I hope we are not wasting them.

Connect with someone you love today. Or better yet, more than one person. Tell your friends you love them. Then tell your favorite singer/actor/writer you love them as well! When we fill The Universe with those loving vibes, there's less room for the negative ones!