This month, I nominated one of my NaBloPoMo compatriots, Dante's Inferno with Children: A Travelogue, for the November Perfect Post Award, for her posting "Between and Alone." It is fictional vignette about a young boy being raised by his mother and aunt, and his acceptance of his role as "outsider" in the family and in life. It's a poignant, skillfully crafted little character sketch of a young boy.
Behind the sofa,
under the stairs,
in the old wood shed,
in the rotten attic.These were the places he sought refuge. Sometimes sleeping, often reading, or making up his own stories. At nine years old he was good at finding places to be "out of the way". It didn't take much to entertain him, and besides he loved reading best of all anyway.
There was something about the boy in this story that resonated with me, particularly this opening description. When I was a child, I would often run off and hide with a book, stay up late with a flashlight under the covers to finish one more chapter of The Count of Monte Cristo or Oliver Twist. For some reason, that's the type of book I imagined this boy reading, some classic tale of adventure, and not, say, Captain Underpants.
Back before I had Alex and long before I started blogging, I used to read a good deal of fiction. The authors I love most are the ones that give you a peek into the interior life of a character, what shapes his thinking, and how perceptions shape the reality around you. This piece does that, and draws you into the world of the boy with a great deal of pathos and affection. She did an artful job of bringing this character to life.
One of the things I really enjoyed about NaBloPoMo was the NaBloPoMo Randomizer. It was a great way to waste time entertain myself and find inspiration when I felt like I just didn't have another thing to say...about anything. Coming up with something to write about every day was harder than I thought it would be. Another great thing was being introduced to bloggers who I might not have found otherwise. That's how I found Dante's Inferno with Children, and I'm so glad I did.
Many thanks to Liesel of Dante's Inferno for her beautiful, thought-provoking, and memorable posting. This is one blog that I've added to my "regular reads" and look forward to seeing what she has to say, whether it's fiction or fact. She writes with equal clarity and grace about her life and her son. It's one of the blogs that I now read and think, "I wish I could write like that!"
For more November Perfect Posts, visit Suburban Turmoil and Petroville for a complete list. They usually have a great mix of old favorites and new voices that will make you laugh, cry, and think. This month should prove to be no different.
