The Lure of Sisterhood
I first read Louisa May Alcott’s classic Little Women when I was eight or nine, but I’ve read it multiple times over the years—too many to track—and that makes it difficult to recall precisely when I experienced my different reactions to the story. I know I related to different characters at different ages: always Jo, first because I was bookish and then because I’d started to write; later with Meg, as a fellow responsible eldest sibling; occasionally with Beth, when my introverted tendencies had me in hermit mode. Never with Amy, though. I could not imagine myself into the position of youngest, let alone youngest of four, and as for budding artistic endeavors, well, the less said about that the better.
Still, what always stuck, what I always loved most about the book, was the large family dynamic, more specifically the sisterhood. Even before reading Little Women, I wanted a sister, preferably more than one. I did get a baby brother when I was just shy of eight years old (his birthday falls two weeks before mine), but he was a boy—not at all what I had been imagining—and though I didn’t want to trade him in for a sister (most of the time), I certainly still wanted one.
But it wasn’t to be and eventually I saw reason and stopped pestering my mother. I revisited Little Women frequently, and then as I grew older, less so. A new film version would emerge, and I’d pull out my battered copy of the book and delve in once again, but that was the extent of it. Until I recently read “Parts of a Whole: Ann Napolitano on Reaching for the Vivacity and Connection of Little Women” and was reminded how that craving for sisterhood clings.
I know plenty of real-life sisters, and I’m aware they don’t all magically have the close bond of the March girls. Also, my closest female friends hold honorary sister status as far as I’m concerned. But that same nostalgia I feel for a favorite childhood book extends itself to my early longing for sisters to grow up with, for shared memories of our formative experiences, the shorthand of family. And reading about Napolitano’s own fascination with the lure of the sisterly bond shows how magically Alcott captures that dynamic for many of us at an impressionable age.
For me, the message translates to my work, as so much does. I love a good sibling dynamic in a story, and actively look for them in submissions—particularly for sisters. As a perfect example, my client Lauren Parvizi’s debut novel, La Vie, According to Rose—out tomorrow!—includes the ups and downs of the protagonist’s relationship with her two sisters. Worlds and years away from the March sisters, yet still fascinating to me. And a good sister story—whether read for professional reasons or for pleasure—will find me texting one of my best friends to check in or (even more likely) recommend the book.
Is it the novelty? Would I have less love for sister stories if I, myself, had grown up with sisters? I have no way of knowing. But as much as I love these types of books, I suspect I’d have been willing to trade my obsession with them in for an actual sister or two. After all, there are plenty of books about only children, too; always another perspective to capture the imagination.
What about you? Does a particular family dynamic draw you into a book? Is it similar to or the opposite of your lived experience? Any favorites to recommend?
Anyone experiencing the urge for a mid-year revamp? Retrench? Redo? Some years this halfway point blows by for me, and other years I really dig in with an enormous to-do list of things I’ve been meaning to work on. It’s less about taking a look at my goals, and more about acknowledging that life happens and sometimes you need to pivot on the fly.
This is a to-do-list year. I’m taking next week “off” in order to tackle some admin for both my work life and my personal life. One of the tasks I’m addressing is moving this newsletter away from Substack. I’ve had a few disturbing things pointed out to me about how this platform does business and it’s enough that I feel I should go elsewhere, even though I’m not bringing in any money for them. So while I’m not moving quite yet, I wanted to give you all a heads up that things will be changing. I will provide details once I’ve found a suitable new home. Regardless, I expect the archive will remain here, at least for the foreseeable future.
Also on the business agenda, I will be doing a partial closure to submissions starting after the holiday. Nearly 90% of incoming queries this month have been for SFF projects, and I’ve requested more material on enough of them to keep me reading through the summer. But I do want some additional women’s fiction and contemporary romance, so I’ll be remaining open for those a bit longer. Just a heads up: If you want to query me for an SFF novel, you have through July 9th.
A reminder for anyone looking to tackle a synopsis for their manuscript, or with writer friends at that point, my self-paced course, Master the Art of the Synopsis, is now available. The class provides step-by-step instruction on how to break the process down into manageable parts, tips for what to include and what to leave out in order to make your project shine, and shows you how to adapt the synopsis for different purposes. Learn more here.
A few more links to share:
Winnie Li on Finding That Elusive Thing: A Perfect Writing Space - A look at the realities of where a writer writes.
20 Great Queer Y.A. Books to Add to Your Reading List - Sneaking in here at the end of Pride, but there’s no such thing as a bad time for a great book. So stick them on youro TBR.
Turning Small Rebellions into a Large Literary Revolution - A conversation with author Kenan Orhan about geography, identity, and politics in writing.
Soulless seductress or helpless victim? In search of the original Little Mermaid - Joanne Harris looks into the history of the fairytale beneath the Disney films.
Poets Can’t Write Novels, and Other Baseless Fears - On creating something beautiful outside of the prescribed box.
Currently in my tea cup:
Toast & Jam Brew from Yorkshire Tea
Currently on my nightstand:
A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW by Amor Towles
EMILY WILDE’S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES by Heather Fawcett
AVID READER by Robert Gottlieb
That’s all for now. As always, I appreciate you reading. Whether you’re celebrating Independence Day or Canada Day or just a lovely weekend, I wish you all the best. Please do check in and let me know what you’re reading or what you’re excited about at the moment. Until next time.🥰