Fantasy Islands

Although it receives quite a bit of attention, we all know that the Neverland is not the only island in fiction.

Over at searchonfly.com there's quite a comprehensive list of them. It seems they thought of everything. Novels, comics, video games, songs... Bravo.





Though the wording for "The Neverland" is somewhat ambiguous.

an island that apparently exists outside of time, as its inhabitants never age or die

Characters most certainly can die. Of course, it's refering to the immortality aspect that Peter Pan and other inhabitants display. As for whether the isle exists "outside of time," I'd like to explore that further. In fact, I've been thinking about that very subject - the nature of "Time" regarding the Neverland (again) lately prior to their description.

Grey Matters?

Fiction: Young Adult vs. Adult.

Having grappled this concept myself, I found this set of point-counterpoint articles fascinating.

I'd once been told that one of my novels is too adult for children and too childish for adults. I disagree, and not out of pure knee-jerk defense. I understand where the comment came from and can see how it has merit. Yet I tend to agree with some of the arguments raised in the counterpoint article. It's a grey area, I believe, and sometimes separating the black from the white in it is not such a good idea. I'm not condemning it entirely, just saying not to be afraid of grey as much as we seem to be.

I encourage you to read both these articles in full, as the snippets in the link are only the crust of their bread. I'll admit I did not spend the time to read the comments/discussion on either (since those can usually go both ways in terms of value.) But I would like to hear your comments. What's the difference between these two in your opinion? Should there even be a distinction? Just curious...

Curioser and curioser. - Alice, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

[For kids, but read by adults, who get something entirely different out of it, by the way!]

Although it is not the book I spoke of at the start of this post, I also am thinking of Peter Pan's NeverWorld. I'm often asked: Is it for kids or adults? I'd like to turn this around slightly. Is Peter and Wendy a.k.a. Peter Pan for kids or adults?

But that is not the question on which I wish you would focus.

Take a look at these articles and see what you think.

Point/Counterpoint: The Case For and Against Young Adult Science Fiction

Fact vs. Fiction, again.

Another movie that hinges on the nature of what we believe is HouseSitter. It stars Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn at their wacky best. I would love it just for this line alone: “Half of what we tell ourselves is fiction.” It’s…er, true. What are you willing to believe and how far are you able to deceive others and yourself? I’m not suggesting deception, but think about it the next time you make up a reason why something can or cannot be. Besides this profundity, it’s hilarious. Lemonie (the one who introduced me to Stranger Than Fiction) and I watched it twice in college. Friday night and again Saturday morning. But, then, I have a soft spot for Martin and Hawn.