Giveaway and Review of Nina Schuyler's The Translator: A Novel

Thank you WOW! Women on Writing and the lovely Jodi Webb for inviting me to be part of this book blog tour of The Translator: A Novel by Nina Schuyler.


Review by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

After having read The Translator, I feel like I have gained an entirely new perspective in regards to communication. This may have been a book about Hanne Schubert and her experiences, but in reading The Translator I feel compelled to learn more about communication and foreign culture. Nina Schuyler may be a newer author, but she does a wonderful job drawing the reader into the story. I felt an overall message of "don't be afraid to jump right in and embrace life" as Schuyler's eloquent writing style hit upon the reality of what Hanne Schubert was experiencing.

Here are some things I would tell others who may be interested in reading The Translator:

Great story line

Moved along at a comfortable pace

Well written

Believable characters

Excellent attention to detail

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The Translator: A Novel begins with a misunderstanding in a Japanese-to-English book translation. The translator, Hanne Schubert, falls down a flight of stairs and suffers an unusual condition―the loss of her native language. Speaking only Japanese, she tries to fix the translation by reaching out to the author’s inspiration a tortured, chimerical actor, once a master in the art of Noh Theater. Along the way she realizes that not only words can be mistranslated. Sometimes entire relationships, entire lives can be mistranslated.

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Pegasus (August 15, 2014)
ISBN-10: 1605985856
ISBN-13: 978-1605985855

This book is available as a print book, e-book and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

Book Giveaway Contest:
To win a copy of The Translator: A Novel, please enter using the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post. The giveaway contest closes this Friday, October 2nd at 12:00 AM EST. I will announce the winner the same day in the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!

About Nina Schuyler

Nina Schuyler's first novel, The Painting, (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2004), was a finalist for the Northern California Book Awards. It was also selected by the San Francisco Chronicle as one of the Best Books of 2004, and dubbed a “fearless debut” by MSNBC and a “great debut” by the Rocky M ountain News. It’s been translated into Chinese, Portuguese, and Serbian.

Her short story, “The Bob Society,” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her poems, short stories and essays have appeared in ZYZZYVA, Santa Clara Review, Fugue, The Meadowland Review, The Battered Suitcase, and other literary journals. She reviews fiction for The Rumpus and The Children’s Book Review. She’s fiction editor at Able Muse.

She attended Stanford University for her undergraduate degree, earned a law degree at Hastings College of the Law and an MFA in fiction with an emphasis on poetry at San Francisco State University. She currently teaches creative writing at the University of San Francisco.

Find out more about the author by visiting her online:
http://www.ninaschuyler.com/
https://www.facebook.com/nina.schuyler
Twitter: @Nina_Schuyler

Keep up with the rest of this tour
----------Blog Tour Dates:

Friday, October 2 @ Words by Webb
Jodi shares five reasons she’s glad she read The Translator.
http://jodiwebb.com/

Monday, October 5 @ Vickie Miller
Konnichiwa! Read a review of The Translator: A Novel by Nina Schuyler and read a post about learning a foreign language in later life.
http://www.vickiesmiller.com/blog

Wednesday, October 7 @ MC Simon Writes
Nina Schuyler, author of The Translator: A Novel, shares five things that might make you fall in love with Japan.
http://www.mcsimonwrites.com

Thursday, October 8 @ Puddletown Reviews
Don't miss a review of The Translator: A Novel by award winning author Nina Schuyler.
http://puddletownreviews.com/blog/

Friday, October 9 @ Deal Sharing Aunt
Today you have two chances to win The Translator: A Novel and read an interview with the author Nina Schuyler.
http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/

Keep up with blog stops and giveaways in real time by following  on Twitter @WOWBlogTour.

Get Involved!
If you have a website or blog and would like to host one WOW!'s touring authors or schedule a tour of your own, please email blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com.

*****Book Giveaway Contest*****

Enter to win a copy of The Translator: A Novel! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The winner will be announced in the Rafflecopter widget this Friday, October 2nd.

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Crystal is a church musician, babywearing mama, business owner, active journaler, writer and
blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, four young children (Carmen 8, Andre 7, Breccan 2, and Delphine 7 months), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff at: http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/ and here: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

NOT a Competition

I had a great conversation with a dear friend this evening and she summed up my feelings when she said "Life isn't a competition and parenting most certainly shouldn't be either; but nobody seems to get that."

We all parent differently. Please don't compare yourself as a person or a parent. So often people apologize to me because they don't cloth diaper, don't breastfeed, don't make home made baby food, etc... These people assume I am looking down on them because they don't parent the same way I do. Guess what? I didn't parent this way 8 years ago and it doesn't mean I am a better parent now than I was then. I do what works for me and I love you and want you to know you are doing a great job.

Let me say that again, just a little bit louder:

I LOVE YOU AND YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB!!!!

There are days when you are just glad you've made it through the day, right? Then there are days when you say to yourself "I've got this". That's just how this parenting thing works. Some mornings I put on my Supermom cape and within a few minutes I'm cussing under my breath because the sink is clogged with oatmeal,no one can find their toothbrushes, and someone is whining that someone else called them a name or looked at them weird. I take off my cape, pour a cup of coffee and say to myself "hey self...try again tomorrow"

This whole life thing isn't a competition and you need to remember that - especially when it comes to parenting. It's not a you vs me thing and it's not an us vs them...we are a team. We are a team of loving wonderful people doing the best we can and we are doing it with love. Hang in there, and don't forget:

I LOVE YOU AND YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB!!!!!

Love,
~Crystal
xoxox

May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, sunshine, and teammates to cheer you on when your legs are too weak to take another step.

Crystal is a church musician, babywearing mama, business owner, active journaler, writer and
blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, four young children (Carmen 8, Andre 7, Breccan 2, and Delphine 7 months), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff at: http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/ and here: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

I Am My Father's Daughter

Today was filled with emotion as we laid a family member to rest. The gentleman who passed away was dearly loved by those I hold most dear. My husband says "he treated me like a son" and "I grew up around them and he taught me so much". Thought I didn't know his well, I know the scenario all too well. My heart breaks for the wife he leaves behind, his children, and his present as well as future grandchildren. On the drive home, a favorite song by Jewel came on "My Father's Daughter" and I wept for the child I once was, for the adult I am...but mostly for cousin David's children.

I am my Father's Daughter

I have his eyes

I am the product of his sacrifice

I am the accumulation of dreams of generations

And their stories live within me like holy water

I am my Father's Daughter

The immediate pain of losing a father is brutal. When I was 17 it shook me to the core. In my journal I wrote about how my life felt meaningless without him by my side. I stayed angry and lost for a long time. It's hard to explain to those who have never lost a parent...but it's a wound that never heals. The moments that are supposed to be 100% joy filled, aren't. They are joyful, but there is a sadness and a longing. There is a void.

If you aren't quite sure what I mean, let's look at those joyful moments:

Example Moments:
You graduate from high school....


You make the Dean's list at college...

Your boyfriend proposes...

It's time to walk down the aisle...

You find out you are having a baby...

You hold your child for the first time...

Response from a Fatherless Child:
...the first person you want to call is your Daddy. Since you can't call him, you just cry because it was his encouragement, love, and belief in you that got you to this bittersweet moment. You just don't feel much like celebrating because he's not at your side.

This is no different I'm sure for a daughter who lost a mother or a son...you get the point.


Jewel's lyrics are spot on. I most certainly am my Father's daughter and he sacrificed much so I could be who I am today. I love telling my children about their grandfather. Even though the stories make us smile, I desperately wish he was here to hold them in his arms. I want them to know what he feels like, how his voice sounds, see the wrinkles around his eyes, smell his cologne or the way his hands could be gentle yet strong. Those stories live within me and I try my best to bring him alive for them.

At the funeral today, I had no words. All I could offer was my hug because no words will be enough. No words can take away the pain. The faith in knowing we will all be reunited is the consolation, because being the survivor is painful. We know our loved one is in the arms of God, so we take our broken bodies and shattered hearts and we go on.

If you are a broken kindred spirit, please know you are not alone. It's okay to grieve. I don't feel sorry for myself, but I do feel sadness for the little girl I was 20+ years ago. I need to tell you, it's also okay to feel joy. There was a time when I couldn't understand why people were laughing and smiling. I wanted to scream "don't you know my world stopped turning?" and time softened me as I was reminded of my faith. Jesus held me in his arms as I knelt in prayer and my smile returned. My laugh found it's way home and I realized I wasn't disrespecting my Father's memory, I was carrying on his dream/his legacy.

Please say a prayer for those who are hurting today. May they find peace.

Love,
~Crystal

May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, sunshine, and the dreams of generations!

Crystal is a church musician, babywearing mama, business owner, active journaler, writer and
blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, four young children (Carmen 8, Andre 7, Breccan 2, and Delphine 7 months), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff at: http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/ and here: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

What Parenting REALLY Looks Like

So, you've picked up a great parenting book or magazine and the cover shows a smiling, well rested, woman or man holding an adorable pudge-faced child. That's what parenting looks like, right? We are super happy ALL THE TIME because we have a little bundle of love.

I'll give you a moment while that sinks in...

That's NOT AT ALL WHAT REAL PARENTING LOOKS LIKE! Don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful journey and totally worthwhile, but if you expect it to be a walk in the park, you will be disappointed. If you expect yourself or your spouse to be on cloud nine for all 18 years of the parenting journey, you will be forever falling short of your plan. Here's the down and dirty truth:

_________________________________________________________

1) You forget.
You will forget the last time you used the bathroom alone and eventually you'll stop shutting the door because your efforts are wasted. You'll forget the last time you had a romantic evening with your spouse (and let's face it...unless "you're late"...you probably haven't been paying attention to the last romantic 'encounter' if you know what I mean)! And did I mention the noise? The gum chewing, humming, arguing, washer running, foot tapping noise that never stops?

2) You are confused.
You will constantly wonder what it is you have on your shirt. It goes from "is that baby puke?" to "hmmm....did someone have a sucker on the way to school?" to "did _____________ borrow my favorite shirt again?" You don't understand where all the toilet paper, bar soap, conditioner, etc... have gone. You remember buying plenty at the store, but they're always "gone"...are there trolls?

3) You are wrong.
Especially if you have multiple children, you'll resign yourself to the fact you are always wrong and someone is always disappointed in you. (you forgot so and so doesn't like crunchy peanut butter, you forgot the spoon for the yogurt when you packed lunch, the favorite socks are still in the dyer and it's time for school, etc...)

4) You worry.
Does she have enough friends, is he applying himself in school, should they really sleep over at so and so's house, and do I feel them enough vegetables? Those thoughts never stop...and just wait until they start driving....I'm told it gets worse!

5) You lose your cool.
You lose your cool over stupid things. It's okay though - we all do it. For example, I had the following conversation today while driving to church:

"Really mom, can't we change the station? This coffee shop station sux!"
"No, I like it"
"We don't" (the only thing they've agreed upon since conception)
"I'm not changing it."
"Really mom? Why?"
"I WILL TELL YOU WHY. I HAVE STRETCH MARKS FROM CARRYING CHILDREN, A SORE BACK FROM PLAYING WITH CHILDREN, GREY HAIR AND WRINKLES FROM RAISING CHILDREN, I HAVEN'T POOPED OR SHOWERED ALONE IN NEAR A DECADE, I DRIVE A DANG MINIVAN INSTEAD OF A HARLEY, AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD ALL I WANT TO DO IS LISTEN TO SOME DECENT MUSIC FOR A FEW MINUTES A DAY; IS IT ASKING TOO MUCH?"
...silence...
"So, when can we listen to something cool?"
"WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR OWN CHILDREN TO ABUSE"

All I wanted was to listen to a few Norah Jones tunes on the way to church. Is it so bad that I'm sick of Silento and his 'break your legs'...or whatever it is he is singing/saying?
I let 'em have it and guess what? We all survived. Mom threw a tantrum and nothing horrible happened (and the church building is still standing as proof).

_________________________________________________________

That my friends is what real parenting looks like. I tucked the kiddos in bed tonight, wiped the stick off the counter for the 53rd time today, picked the playdogh up off the floor, and poured myself a beer. There is nothing I would rather do than be a parent. However, I'm a realist and I don't want people going around thinking parenting is easy. Even the best parents don't always feed their children organic vegetables grown at home out of their own pesticide free garden. We don't all make fresh bread every Tuesday and Saturday. And (GASP) - sometimes we buy store bought birthday cakes and stop for McDonald's french fries on our way home from grocery shopping. We are doing the best we can and at the end of the day, if everyone is still healthy it's a success.

Don't set your expectations too high. Allow yourself to be human. Allow yourself to stay in your pajamas all day if that's what it takes. Don't worry about measuring up to this mom or that dad. Your children love you just the way you are and you are the perfect parent for them (because God has this whole thing under control).

Next time you feel like you don't measure up, just send me a message or shoot me a text and I'll be happy to reassure you - because YOU'VE GOT THIS!!! YOU ARE ROCKING THIS PARENTING ROLE AND YOU ARE FABULOUS!

Okay? Got it?

Love,
xoxoxox
~Crystal

May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, sunshine, and plenty of little people to wrap their arms around you and warm you with their love.



Crystal is a church musician, babywearing mama, business owner, active journaler, writer and
blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, four young children (Carmen 8, Andre 7, Breccan 2, and Delphine 7 months), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff at: http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/ and here: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Making Time

You may be expecting an article about making time to write or blog...maybe tomorrow, but for today I want to talk about making time for you. I've written about the importance of self-care, but it's worth repeating. I need to repeat it for myself. I'm probably the biggest offender. We did't go on a honeymoon because "this isn't a good time, let's go in a few years when things settle down". We don't take family vacations "because things are hectic now, let's wait until next year". We intended to go on date night several times each month, and you guessed it, we are lucky to go twice each year because "it's just a hassle to find a sitter, and maybe next month there will be more time".

The truth is, none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. A cancer diagnosis, heart attach, or car accident could be right around the corner. Caring for ourselves means making the most of the here and now. I don't recommend quitting your job or racking up credit card debt. There likely will be may more tomorrows to enjoy, but stop putting of the things that mean the most to you. Remind yourself and your loved ones that the best gift you can give or receive is the gift of time. Put down your phone, look someone in the eyes, and tell them what they mean to you. I guarantee you'll never regret it.

Love,
~Crystal

May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, sunshine, and people who matter enough to create moments that matter!

Parenting is Hard Enough

I've really gotten away from writing. For that, I am sorry...but taking care of a family of six is no small task each day. The wonderful news is our youngest is still nursing like a champ at nearly 7 months old, and we have successfully started the new school year for the older children. Breccan's 2nd birthday is right around the corner (this Wednesday) and we had his party today. Saturday was also a lot of fun as we hosted Two Rivers first #LilleInTheCity babywearing meet up and had 33 adults in attendance as well as lots of adorable babies, toddlers, and children. As you can tell, I haven't been sitting on my hands. I really should be telling you about how Boobiebars has helped me maintain my milk supply, how hard it was to find just the perfect convertible car seat, and share my secret to stink free cloth diapering. I promise I'm going to tell you all that and more as I get back into the swing of things. I truly feel that it takes a mom body 40 weeks to grow a baby and we should get a little time to adjust...how about another 40 weeks after birth to help with getting into a routine? Sounds fair...and since my nursling isn't even 7 months, I'm pretty sure I'm ahead of schedule.

Glad we got that out of the way.

The real reason for today's post is to remind one another that parenting is hard enough and we don't need to throw dirt at one another (literally or figuratively speaking). At yesterday's #LilleInTheCity event, we had a professional photographer taking pictures of the event as well as offering super short complimentary mini sessions on the lakefront. A gorgeous mama with a toddler and infant had her picture taken and shared it on social media. She was wearing her adorable daughter in a forward facing position in her Lillebaby carrier. Baby had a great seat, carrier is ergonomically correct, blah blah blah...it was really a great picture, everyone was smiling, the sun was shining, and everything was perfect! Or was it?

Some well meaning someone or another sent this wonderful mama a message about how forward facing isn't good for her baby. She included an article that talked about overstimulation, hip dysplasia, and that's about as far as I got in the article. It was upsetting to the mama in question and it was upsetting to me. I'm here to share my message:

PARENTING IS HARD ENOUGH AND IF BABY ISN'T IN DANGER, JUST REMEMBER THAT MAMA KNOWS BEST!!!!

that may just require repeating:

PARENTING IS HARD ENOUGH AND IF BABY ISN'T IN DANGER, JUST REMEMBER THAT MAMA KNOWS BEST!!!!

Why are we so hard on one another? What is the difference between a $20 baby carrier and a $150 baby carrier? The simple truth us $130...that's it! It's not as complex as some would have you believe. The mama that spends $20 doesn't love her baby less and the mama who spends $150 isn't guaranteed her child will be the one to come up with a cure for cancer or graduate at the top of their class from Yale. We are all just doing the best we can with the resources available to us. Wouldn't it be easier if we approached one another in love instead of tossing out our opinions and judging one another?

I took my kids to McDonald's yesterday. Not because I don't love them, but because we were hungry and it was convenient. I also said a curse word when someone stopped in the middle of the round about nearly causing a crash. Go ahead and judge...tell me about the processed oils and fats, tell me I should pray more and curse less...I know this stuff...but I'm doing the best I can!

Try to remember that the nicest thing we can say to another mama is "you are such a good mom", because don't we all have those moments when we aren't sure we are going to get through the day?

Parenting is hard enough - let's give one another a break!

May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, sunshine, and encouraging words from friends and strangers alike, because dang it - YOU GOT THIS!!!

~Crystal