Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Can I just say?

I actually have two things to post to the blogosphere, but this one deserves it's own little box.

Confession time.
And this one might just make me a pariah in the Young Adult writers' community.
I'm scared.

But I was inspired by brilliant blogger (who resembles a Californian goddess), Jessica Love, whose writing is always honest (and frequently funny).

So here goes, world:

I don't get "squee."
I don't really like "squee."
Worse: I swallow a little gag now at "squee."

For those of you not in the know, I have leaped into the arms of a loving and intelligent community called Children's Book Writers, with a healthy population of Young Adults novelists. I have set aside the literary novel for adults genre and embraced the YA genre that swallowed me whole when I was an awkward, haunted teenager. I follow too many YA blogs and websites every week, and every week I am amazed at the industry, the talent, and the authors who advocate for young people.

And I'm assaulted by "squee" everywhere I go these days.
Yes, I get that "squee" is a word that expresses happiness.
That SQUEE expresses excitement and joy.
And that SQUEEEEEE!!!!!! is exhilarating and orgasmic (but still maintains an ironic innocence).
The exclamation point, by the way, seems a bit redundant, no?

It was cute at first. Really. The first time.

But after reading it over and over and over, it's lost its squee-ness.
It sounds more like a dog-toy that's been chewed to hell.
It sounds, dare I say it, juvenile.

(Apologies to the YA world for using juvenile as a negative word. But is anyone getting me??)

I tried it, too. I squee-ed right here on this blog. Somewhere.
I was feeling the pre-pubescent joy of...something.  Can't remember. But yes, I "squee"-ed.
But I shall squee no more.

I will not judge people who have written "Squee!" in the past, present, or future. Squee away, till your heart's content. I'm sorry if I offended you, squee-bers. But I'm just sayin' it might be time to find a new interjection.