What are the limits of love and grief and when, if ever, is it ok to let go?
These are just some of the questions at the core of Emily Habeck’s debut novel, Shark Heart. Wren and Lewis have a love story most dream of: devoted to each other, supportive of one another, and each makes the other one better. They are true soul mates. So how are they to react when, just months after their wedding, Lewis starts feeling ill and receives a devastating diagnosis? He has a genetic mutation which will cause him to slowly, but undoubtedly turn into a great white shark.
As Lewis delves headlong into all the projects he wants to try before his transformation is complete, Wren begins evaluating all the relationships that have led her to this point in her life. Her tumultuous childhood, which she has tried to keep hidden from every important person in her life. The intensity of her first serious romantic relationship. Her budding friendship with a Tiny Pregnant Woman who, she learns, is carrying twin birds in her womb.
Can Lewis and Wren’s love survive when one is shark and one is human? When faced with an impossible choice, is it better to lead with one’s head, or one’s heart?
OPTION 1: ANIMALS OF THE OCEAN
Bit by bit, Lewis begins developing both the physical and behavioral qualities of the most dangerous and carnivorous animal in the ocean. I have never seen a shark in person (thankfully!), but I have seen other ocean animals such as dolphins and sea turtles. For Option 1, make a layout featuring an ocean animal. Note that it is not enough to just have a photo of the animal, but the animal must be the subject of the page.
OPTION 2: AN ALTERNATE TELLING
In addition to the unique subject matter and magical realism feel of this novel, the story itself is told in a variety of formats. Lewis is a high school theatre teacher, so some chapters are presented as scripts of a play, some are written as poems, and still others are straight prose. For Option 2, choose a different way to tell the story of your page in your journaling. You must use one of the following styles:
- a script
- a poem
- a letter (to or from one of the people/animals/objects in one of your photos)
- song lyrics
- a persuasive “essay” (and by “essay”, I really just mean at least 3 or 4 sentences)
The Fine Print:
1. HAVE FUN MAKING YOUR PROJECT!
2. Entries open to new projects - paper, digital, & card making.
3. May be combined with one other challenge that allows it.
4. Due July 31st, at 11:59 PM.
5. One lucky winner, chosen at random, will receive a $5 ACOT gift card from me!
6. Up to 3 entries permitted per month.
7. If there are more than 15 unique entries (not including bonuses) during the month, a second name will be drawn and that person will get an automatic entry for the following month.
Participants:
1. SandyJay
2. stinkerbelle
3. MaganL
4. karen c.
5. MaganL
6. Trek
7. Donna_Coughlin
8. MaganL
9. wendycrowe
10. Donna_Coughlin
11. blbabe1234
12. joannie
13. lilkoala3
14. kacarr61
15. aheatfan
16. mizz_kitty21
17. SandyJay
18. lilkoala3
19. wazzu94
20. mizz_kitty21
21. Art_Teacher
22. mizz_kitty21
23. stinkerbellee
24. ScrappyRN74
25. ScrappyRN74
26. ScrappyRN744
27. lisn2cats
28. CynthiaB
29. lilkoala3
30. hsblair
