excerpt (Oh My Stars-Lorna Landvik)

 " Aw, settle down and quit your squirming.  I'm not witnessing for any Reverend I. M. Aphraud or Swami Fulla Lotta Bologna; I'm not one of those bothersome lackeys out to fill my quota of converts to the church of Perpetual Possibility or the Temple of Unending Yakety-Yak.  I am the salt of the earth, and I do not believe in the ninety percent rigamarole that is organized religion.  But miracles?  Miracles, my friend, are a different thing entirely.  From what I can see, miracles are built from love, and as far as love is concerned, I am a true believer."

excerpt (Oh My Stars-Lorna Landvik)

 " Aw, settle down and quit your squirming.  I'm not witnessing for any Reverend I. M. Aphraud or Swami Fulla Lotta Bologna; I'm not one of those bothersome lackeys out to fill my quota of converts to the church of Perpetual Possibility or the Temple of Unending Yakety-Yak.  I am the salt of the earth, and I do not believe in the ninety percent rigamarole that is organized religion.  But miracles?  Miracles, my friend, are a different thing entirely.  From what I can see, miracles are built from love, and as far as love is concerned, I am a true believer."

Speak- Laurie Halse Anderson

Me: "All right, but you said we had to put emotion into our art. I don't know what that means. I don't know what I'm supposed to feel." My fingers fly up and cover my mouth. What am I doing?

Mr. Freeman: "Art without emotion is like chocolate cake without sugar. It makes you gag." He sticks his finger down his throat. "The next time you work on your trees, don't think about trees. Think about love, or hate, or joy, or rage- whatever makes you feel something, makes your palms sweat or your toes curl. Focus on that feeling. When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time. You'd be shocked at how many adults are really dead inside- walking through their days with no idea who they are, just waiting for a heart attack or cancer or a Mack truck to come along and finish the job. It's the saddest thing I know."

Speak- Laurie Halse Anderson

Me: "All right, but you said we had to put emotion into our art. I don't know what that means. I don't know what I'm supposed to feel." My fingers fly up and cover my mouth. What am I doing?

Mr. Freeman: "Art without emotion is like chocolate cake without sugar. It makes you gag." He sticks his finger down his throat. "The next time you work on your trees, don't think about trees. Think about love, or hate, or joy, or rage- whatever makes you feel something, makes your palms sweat or your toes curl. Focus on that feeling. When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time. You'd be shocked at how many adults are really dead inside- walking through their days with no idea who they are, just waiting for a heart attack or cancer or a Mack truck to come along and finish the job. It's the saddest thing I know."