The “Limited” World of Kasie West

Before I dive into the latest post, I want to say, “Congratulations!” to Susan S, who successfully completed Jill Willis’s puzzle and won a PDF version of Lost in a Cave. Yay! *throws confetti*

Now, I have a confession to make: as an author, I don’t read as many fiction books as I’m supposed to. Or as many as I’m told I’m supposed to. Not that I’m aware of a magic number as to “how many books an author must read each year,” but from the hints laid out in the many writing-related blog posts and articles and tweets I’ve come across, I’ve concluded I’m failing in this area. 

Like I need another area in which to fail.

But I only have so much time to devote to reading, and lately, with my girls getting older (10^th & 7^th grades), my reading interests have turned to non-fiction books as I try to help my high schooler, especially, navigate the murky Darwinian-evolution-waters at her public high school while being a Christian creationist herself.

Yet I knew my “Friday Fun Reads” post was approaching, so I set aside my non-fiction book and picked up a Kasie West young adult novel I had bought a while ago…and never finished reading. Gasp! Contrary to when I had tried to read it last time, I am now in the mind-frame for a “back to school” story, since my kids have just returned to school themselves. If you’re familiar with Kasie West, you won’t be disappointed in Listen to Your Heart, with its clean content and light-hearted banter. 

In this book, the story revolves around a small lake community whose kids must travel a half hour to another town for school, thus the main character, Kate Bailey, often feels out of place among the “city kids.” Out on the lake waters is this introvert’s comfort zone, and the less she has to interact with the kids at school, the better. 

Yet, through a series of events instigated by her best friend, Kate finds herself co-hosting the school’s podcast each week—a position she did not want. I think many of us can relate to her reluctance in putting her own voice/person out there for people to potentially mock or judge or take offense. She also finds herself falling for a guy who’s technically off-limits, as well as dealing with some escalating pranks at her family’s marina.

Kasie West almost always (perhaps always?) writes in the first person point-of-view (POV), and though I went through a stage in which I avoided reading books written in that style, I have since returned to it with renewed appreciation. I love the misunderstandings and tension that can occur—and that a writer can set up—when the reader is “stuck” in one character’s POV for the duration of the book, relying on the actions and reactions of the other characters to reveal what they’re thinking—or not thinking.

It’s similar to real life in that sense, as we can only know our own thoughts, not anyone else’s. Does the guy or girl we’re crushing on like us back? How do we know for sure unless they tell us? Until then, we’re forced to interpret their actions and speech—which can sometimes lead us in the wrong direction. Perhaps our teacher makes a snarky face one morning when we turn in our assignment a day late. Was that curled lip directed at us, or was it a result of something going on in his/her own life? Depending on how we view that snark will depend on how we react to it…along with a ripple effect.

While it’s no doubt fun to read books in which we’re allowed to see into more than one character’s head, don’t let naysayers convince you first-person is too limiting and you should avoid writing in that style. I would argue first person challenges our writing abilities in a good way, as it forces us to think outside the box when we must get a message to the reader but we can only use what the MC experiences for him/herself. What hint will you place in another character’s comment? What look will you paint in another’s expression? And how will that affect your MC? Will s/he pick up on the hint and act on it? Will s/he notice the “look” and guess at the real reason behind it? Or will you lead your MC down a path of misunderstanding, to their detriment or embarrassment, or perhaps to their benefit?

The possibilities are endless…when they’re limited. 😉