Since I was small, I have been a passionate reader, instantly drawn into stories that could be painted in words. When I discovered chapter books, I remember eagerly awaiting the moment when I could open a book and slip into its vivid colors and images. In an instant, I might feel the brush of rainbow-colored wind on my cheeks or hear the clear sound of river water gliding over rocks. The moment I finished a book, I couldn’t wait to pick up another one to take yet another leap into the world of an author’s imagination where it could be mixed with my own imagination, as if we were telling the story together as I read. This journey has always felt kind of like an instantly departing airplane, except that I never had to worry about how long until the plane reached its final destination. I could just enjoy the journey, and adapt to new places as I went, experiencing love, fear, danger, and courage through the eyes of other characters. And The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani was the first book, in particular, to show me how powerful my imagination was in being able to empathize with experiences that seemed entirely different but still somehow linked to my own. Since discovering The School for Good and Evil in fourth grade, I’ve read it seventeen times, and each time I open it up, I become instantly fascinated by the elaborate personalities of each character and the special powers they possessed, like the ability to cast spells with their glowing fingertips or concoct herbal potions that allowed for shape-shifting and falling in love. I couldn’t believe that a single author had created a world that was full of magic but still felt as real and true as my own life. I became determined to find out everything I could about his background as a writer, and on his website, I learned that not only had all his books had made it onto the New York Times Bestseller list, but his first series had been translated into twenty-seven languages across six different continents and was now being made into a movie by Universal Pictures. I was even more surprised to learn that Soman Chainani found enough time to work on writing his novels and screenplays while still playing tennis competitively in New York City. Up until that day, I had assumed that to be really good at something, you had to give everything else up in order to reach your goal. At least that was how I’d always viewed playing violin myself. Starting when I was small, I’ve devoted myself to practicing up to three hours every day, and ever since joining an international string ensemble last year, I’ve had to spend most weekends and at least two nights a week rehearsing. Soman Chainani was the first person to open up my mind to the possibility of writing a novel despite all of my other activities. If he had managed to make his dreams happen as a writer, filmmaker, and athlete, then maybe I could balance my passions for writing and music too. I decided that I would find time to write. My goal was to write for at least twenty minutes a day a few times week in the morning before school or after I finished my homework in the evening. I started off by writing poems and short pieces in response to writing prompts, and then slowly worked my way up to my first fantasy fiction novel. I didn’t know where to start with the story, exactly, but I did know I wanted my new grey tabby kitten named Daisy to be the heroine of my series. I decided to follow Soman Chainani’s lead and create my own imaginary world. I set the story in a large floating city named Skyworld that hovers above New York. In the opening pages, Daisy embarks on a journey to find her long-lost brother, Jacob. Along the way, she meets a wide cast of characters, many of them inspired by those found in The School for Good and Evil. But when I finished the first draft, a teacher told me I would need to ask Soman Chainani’s permission to use several of his character names in my own work. I was scared and nervous to email a famous author out of the blue, but relieved when just a few weeks later, Soman wrote me back, encouraging me to use the names of his characters as I continued writing. I was overjoyed to know that I wouldn’t have to change my story and could move forward in plotting the next story I had in mind for these characters, in working toward creating my very own series. Looking back, I realize that Soman Chainani has inspired me in more ways than one. Not only has he inspired my desire to write, but he has shown me that being an author also means being there for your readers. When some authors become famous, they might not take time out of their packed days to answer emails or requests, but Soman isn’t this way. He seems humble, kind, and supportive of his fans, and he wants them to feel motivated to do the hard work of writing an original story. If I become a published author one day, I hope to be there for my readers too, answering their questions and encouraging them to follow their dreams. Soman reminds me that being an author is about small, daily habits that add up in big ways. He has taught me that writing isn’t about making money or becoming famous, but it is about sitting down to make the time to write no matter what. I realized that as long as I can carve out this space, not only am I setting my mind free to build exciting new worlds out of my imagination, but in the process I might inspire others to do the same.
Young Bloggers
Guest Post: No Boundaries in Art
by Sarah Lynn “No Boundaries” is exploding with color, something I particularly love in artworks. The blues, purples, and greens of the piece are relaxing and seem to flow in and around the image, while the peaches, yellows, and reds of the picture break up the scene in a way that only enhances its beauty. This beauty itself does not take one form—the piece is abstract. It can visually represent any number of things. I, for example, see a garden or a village celebrating some special event. Another person may see a lake or an underwater scene. What makes this piece unique is that the interpretation of the piece is different for each viewer. I also love that this piece has no rhyme or reason in the direction the paint travels. It needs no explanation for its being. The artist, Christian Goh, calls his work “messy art.” Goh, who is on the Autism Spectrum with dysgraphia and dyspraxia, says he likes this type of art “because there is no right or wrong, no confusing rules to follow, and I do not need words to express Me.” His art is a form of escape from the rules that society imposes on everyday life. This, I think, is the reason art was created. When creating art allows the artist a moment to breathe away from the pressures of normative society, it has achieved its purpose. Just by looking at the image, you can tell the artist was letting his paintbrush move, not dictating where it went, but instead letting it tell him where to go. I personally relate to this method of producing art. When I have too many things on my plate and just need a mental reset, I draw. Knowing I can take time to produce something created only for me to see and engage with is comforting. Drawing allows me to mentally step back, go on autopilot, and just zone out until the things cluttering my brain have left and I am able to refocus. Just like Goh, when I create art, I feel free to ignore the binary of right and wrong, ignore the rules society poses, and create without words. “No Boundaries” speaks to this need to distance yourself from societal standards. The painting is also a visual reflection of empowerment for Goh. Self-empowerment in today’s society is so important. You can’t let anyone else tell you what to do, who to be, or how to act, or else your life is being dictated by another person. One of the boldest things you can do in life is stand your ground and insist on doing things your own way, as Goh has done in his “No Boundaries.” He combined colors and shapes in ways that he saw fit, to reflect his decisions as an artist without needing permission from society. While Goh’s art appears similar to other historical types of painting, like impressionism or abstract impressionism, the fundamental beliefs behind his “messy art” are different from artists belonging to those movements. Both art forms were borne from artists’ dissatisfaction with society at the time of the art’s creation as well as dissatisfaction with past art forms. However, Goh’s “messy art” is borne from a much more personal need: to express himself in a way in which he feels comfortable. It is a prime example of self-empowerment: Goh is able to make his own decisions and create something which he enjoys and takes pride in. I encourage you to learn from Goh’s work. Today, go create a piece of art that frees you up inside. Create something just for you that you think is a reflection of yourself. It should be up to you to decide what object, icon, or shape(s) represent you. Discover what drives your art like Goh has in “No Boundaries.” About the Author: Sarah Lynn is a student at UC Santa Cruz studying art and art history. She has made art all her life and encourages Stone Soup readers to always follow their creative passions in life.
Four Halloween Costumes You Can Make Yourself
Halloween—one of the most popular holidays in the U.S.—is coming up! Many kids wait eagerly for October 31st to dress up in costume and walk from door to door, saying “trick or treat” and receiving candy. But a dilemma that many of us experience is not finding a good costume to wear on Halloween. Many costumes you can buy are expensive and not worth it. Here are four creative costumes that you can make yourself with minimal cost to show off something unique this Halloween: 1: Jellyfish I was a jellyfish last year for Halloween and got so many compliments on this costume! Here are the materials needed: Clear umbrella LED string lights with batteries attached White decorative ribbon Strong tape First, take the ribbon and cut it into multiple long strips. Attach these to the inner rim of the clear umbrella with tape so they hang down. Wrap and tape a long piece of ribbon horizontally around the outside rim of the umbrella. Secure the battery box of the LED lights to the inner top of the umbrella with tape, and wrap and tape the string lights around the inside pillars of the umbrella. Your jellyfish costume is now ready to go! 2: Popcorn (image from cutegirlshairstyles.com) This costume is very affordable and quite easy to make! All you need is: White paper Yellow acrylic or spray paint Red and white striped skirt or red skirt and white duct tape White shirt Hot glue Start off by tearing the paper in half and crumbling it into little balls. Paint or spray paint these pieces of “popcorn” slightly yellow (to represent butter), then hot glue them onto a white shirt. You can use a red and white striped skirt for the “box”, or make one by sticking strips of white duct tape onto a red skirt. And now you’re finished with your simple popcorn costume! 3: Ghost (image from scratchandstitch.com) When you think of a ghost costume, you probably imagine a boring white sheet. But this costume is so realistic and spooky! You’ll need: Cheesecloth Colored markers First, add streaks of yellow, red or brown marker onto the cheesecloth. You can even dip the cheesecloth in tea to give it an old look! Then, rip holes in the cheesecloth for your neck and arms, and make random tears everywhere else to give it a mystical effect. Wear it over all black clothing, and you’ll look just like a scary ghost! 4: Emoji (image from Pinterest) This costume is very versatile and you probably don’t need to buy anything to make it! This is all you need: A plain, bright yellow shirt Permanent markers in the colors of your emoji All you have to do is use the markers to draw your emoji’s features onto the shirt and you’re done! This is a great last-minute costume if you have to create something quickly. Another variation to this costume is to cut a piece of yellow cardstock into a large circle and draw your emoji onto it. Hole punch and tie the sides with string, and then hang it around your neck over black clothing. Whether scaring your friends with the ghost costume or brightening up the day with the emoji costume, these four costumes are easy to make at home with barely any supplies and in a short period of time. Have a fantastic Halloween this year and make sure to add a comment on what you are dressing up as!
