Saturday, August 28, 2010

Interview with Myra McEntire!!

I have an interview for you today. Now, I want you to look at that sentence and appreciate the maturity. You should totally revel in it. Because now? Yeah, the maturity is going to die. Because...

It's an interview with Myra McEntire!


Seriously. I have more love for her than the Russian cover of Catching Fire. And that, dear friends, is a lot of love. So much love that I'm starting to feel creepy.
Ahem.
Her book isn't out yet, but Ms. McEntire has one of the best blogs in the entire world. Just saying. You should check it out, now. She does some of the coolest interviews, with some of the coolest authors, and she manages to completely crack me up. But at the same time, Ms. McEntire manages to support some amazing causes. She helped organize Do The Write Thing For Nashville during the awful floods earlier this year, and she's helping her friend adopt a baby now. So yeah, basically, I want to be her when I'm all awesome and grown up.
-blinks- I'm being creepy again, aren't I?
Okay, so her book, Hourglass, is being published by Egmont in 2011. I can't WAIT. But I need to stop talking. Because...Now...THE INTERVIEW!
(I'm sorry. I really am freakishly excited. I'll try and calm some.)


Okay, first off,  it's the question authors must get so sick of answering, but I'm asking it anyway--Will you tell us about your book?
Emerson Cole has moved back to her tiny Tennessee hometown after being away at boarding school for a few years. She's about to face some things from her past she'd rather not, because she thinks those things make her crazy. But she soon learns that crazy is relative. Also, there are cute boys. And maybe ghosts.

What was your road to publication like?
I really and truly always wanted to be a writer. But I was discouraged by a lot of people who thought I should pursue a more suitable life path - one where eating was an option.


Did you ever feel like you weren't going to get published? How did you cope?
Luckily, my submission process with publishers went really fast. Even so, it was nerve wracking, and involved a lot of rocking back and forth and playing Diner Dash on my iPhone!


What's the scariest part of going through the editing process?
That it's not just you and the page anymore. You have to please others who are counting on you to produce a quality story.


So, you have one of the most awesome blogs I've ever read. Do you plan out the posts, or just kinda go with the flow?
I love you for this. I write my blog posts like I write my books - while flying by the seat of my pants.

You've mentioned mascots before on your blog--boy mascots, in particular (I'm talking about the Fort interviews).Will there be a boy for readers to swoon over in your up coming novel? 
THERE ARE TWO BOYS. Actually there are a FEW. One looks a lot like the love child of Kellan Lutz and Channing Tatum. Another looks like a younger version of Alcide from True BloodJoe Manganiello. With a lot less facial hair.


What are some of your favorite books/book characters?
I love books by J.K. Rowling, Cassie Clare, Maggie StiefvaterSuzanne CollinsHolly Black, Sarah Rees Brennan, Saundra Mitchell, Kami Garcia, Margie Stohl, Kimberly Pauley, L.Frank Baum, Janet Evanovich, Gail Carriger - there's really not much I don't like. And I don't talk about it if I don't.

When did you first start writing? 
The day Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out. :)

And finally, like the first question, it's the question authors must get so, so sick of. But, like the first, I'm still going to ask. What advice do you have for young writers?
NEVER STOP WRITING. Do what it takes to pay the bills, but instead of playing video games or watching reruns of The Nanny, write. Every day. Thirty minutes. And don't let anyone tell you you can't, or that you're too young, or that you'll never make it. I know twenty-year-olds with six figure book deals. They didn't get those by giving up, playing Sims and eating Cheetos. (I love Sims and Cheetos, but there's a time and a place for everything.)


----
Isn't she amazing?
Don't you want to be her? Or read her book? (ZOMG CHANNING TATUM AND KELLAN LUTZ'S LOVE CHILD. WANT NEED NOW.)
I'm going to go sit and grin stupidly now. Thank you, Myra!
Cheers, all!

Friday, August 27, 2010

Foreign Friday: Hunger Games!

Thank you, Sarah, for the link to the first few covers!
Okay. So Mockingjay came out this week. Did you read it? Did you love it? Hate it? I leaned towards dislike, and then when I talked to Sarah, kind of my opinion skewed.
(I'm young. I'm impressionable. Don't judge me.)
Basically, I just wanted more kissing. It pretty much comes down to that.
-coughs uncomfortably-
Anywaaaay. I love these books. I was at Walmart at 6:30 to go buy a copy. (They didn't have them stocked yet. They told me to come back later. Walmart, you have lost the minimal respect I had for you.)
And now, celebration of the series of a lifetime, I decided to dedicate this week to the covers. Because I'm ninja like that.
The cover on the top left, way up there, is the American cover. Isn't it pretty? I'm pretty sure this cover is one of my favorites of all time; it's simple and clean and I love it.
Plus, inside, there's a really cute boy. And I might just love him.
Scratch that.
Totally love him.
Anyway.
Here's Denmark.
That one is one of my favorites, just because it really captures the feeling. Cept for the outfit. -frowns- But hey, not everything can be fantabulously flawless.
As always, Germany has done an impeccable job.

Blood! Eyes! 
There is BLOOD. Look! BLOOD. It's on the leaves, and on her mouth. Her mouth!! How creeeeepppy!!!
-claps- I approve. Though, it does actually look like a lot of others.
And then there is this. This is Greece. Not only did the Greeks come up with democracy (or so they tell us in American Government) they came up with a twist on this cover that is kind of cool. In fact, very cool.
Lookie! It's all marbly! HOW PRETTY!
And here, to match, is the Catching Fire cover in Greece.
-pets-

I think that might be one of my favorites. 
But my favorite favorite favorite?
The one that makes me squee with love?


Russia. I love you. I don't care if that is Gale or Peeta; he is pretty. And I LOVE IT. I don't care that it doesn't particularly match. I'm totally in love.
Okay, that's all I'm putting up. For the Swedish and UK and several other covers, you can look here.
You should comment and tell me your favorites. And possibly pet Russia.
Tomorrow, I'll post an author interview! (-cough- you should come back- -cough-)

Monday, August 23, 2010

Letter to An Evil Nasty Thing

Dear Snake,
I'm sorry. I've never liked you. You are ugly and slithery, and once, my 6th grade teacher made me hold you. She thought it would build my character. My character might have buffed up, but dude, did I hate you. So much.
But I totally didn't mean to kill you.
Seriously. I didn't.
I thought you were a stick.
It was late. There were sticks all over the road; tree cutters had been there.
And then my car was closing in...
And then you started thrashing.
And I'm pretty sure I ran over your head.
...
I totally didn't mean to. I even screamed a little. Now I'm feeling this hideous guilt, despite the fact that you are nasty and ugly. I'm reminded of that one anime, Fruits Basket (Hush, reader. My sister liked it.) and the snake from the Chinese Zodiac.
...
FB-ayame-snake.jpg Ayame the Snake image by TorNATE0

I'm pretty sure you didn't look like that, though. I'd put a picture of what you really looked like, but quite honestly, you creep me out too much.
-ponders- Maybe you were that copperhead that scared the crap out of me last spring, that made me scream and run across the road. Maybe I killed you. Wouldn't that be funny?Well. Maybe not funny.
Anyway. I'm sorry. Really sorry. I've been having nasty snaky dreams. And I started randomly adding a snake into my story.
Yeah. The story about, um, soldiers. And chemicals. And science fiction.
So, basically, there's no room for a snake.
Snake. I'm sorry that I killed you. I'm sorry that I only saw your body for like, two seconds, and the next time I came back, it was gone, because that probably means some hillbilly put you on a cowboy hat. Rest in peace.
And please, let me rest in peace too. Because if I have to wake up one more time thinking about snakes, I'm going to never sleep again. And that would not be pretty.
My apologies, Creepy Evil Nasty Thing,
Very sincerely,
Truly repentant,
Sam

(P.S. Readers! I feel as if you are still laughing at my addiction to commercial anime. In my defense,
I was thirteen. I was in love with this guy;
and I also urge you to remember that I am being haunted by a snake. So you can't mock me too much.)
More later. Or not, if the stupid snake won't go away.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Hunger by Jackie Morse Keller


Release Date: October 18, 2010

Amazon says:
"Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world."
Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?
     Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home—her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power—and the courage to fight her own inner demons?


I say: It's taken me a couple of weeks to write this review, and I'm not sure why.
When I first saw Hunger, I was a little nonplussed for two reasons. First, I don't like issue books. They can be preachy and annoying. And second, it was short. I don't like short books either.
But . . . I like Hunger.
I actually ended up liking it a lot.
The story takes a new look on old subjects; eating disorders and the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The second is dealt with wonderfully. The characters are entertaining and still manage to make an impression, even though the book is really rather short. I do wish there was a little bit more of the fantasy here; Kessler deals with it so well that I would have liked to hear a little more.
However. We then hit on the first subject. Eating disorders.
It's . . . hard for me to describe this. I know people that have stuck their fingers down their throat. I know people that probably still do. While the main character, Lisa, isn't bulimic, she does have a friend that is. It was a little bit uncomfortable for me personally to read about it -- which, obviously, is the point, and obviously, not a bad thing. The fact that the book can make such an impression is wonderful. Anorexia is dealt with in a way that didn't seem preachy at all. Bulimia is stripped to the bones. On both cases, you don't see anything glamorous.
 The book straight forward and simple. And something about it rings true. It's tiny, but it is worth your time. I know, this is a short review. There's really not much else to say, though, except that you should give this book a shot. 



Saturday, August 21, 2010

Oh, schnoodle

I was going to post yesterday. I promise. I even had half the post written up. I figured that hey, I'll go babysit, come home at like, 10, and then post the blog.
Yeah. Well, the neighbors didn't come home till midnight. (Actually, they didn't come home then. They called me and told me I could just go home.) (I then proceeded to fall asleep, in full makeup and without changing. Sweats are pajamas too.)
I debated putting one up today, but I figured I might as well wait till next week, because the post I have planned is a little lengthy and, well, quite frankly, if I'm gonna post a shiny pretty post about foreign covers, then dangit, it's gonna be on a Friday.
In other news, I'd like to ask When Did High School Become Difficult?
I have always prided myself on not having to study. And then I go ahead and take STUPID COLLEGE COURSES. Why are they STUPID? Because. They are hard. (This is my round about way to saying sorry for being a sucky blogger. I promise, it'll be better. I'm learning how to prepost things. Isn't that ninja?)
So. Continuing . . .
Actually, no, not continuing. I'm going to go be ninja and write posts for this week. There'll be a book review tomorrow.
And for now, I give you a picture of a schnoodle.

Yes. Not only are they freakishly adorable, but the name makes a wonderful curse word.
-schnoodles!- I mean . . . tootles?
More later.

Monday, August 16, 2010

School Bell Ringing

Today was the first day of Junior year. And ZOMG, guess what?
I'm learning stuff already!
For instance, I've learned that walking into a math classroom? Yeah. I automatically am gifted with a headache.
I know. I know. -shines nails on collar- It's a true super power.
Oh, and in English? That headache mysteriously disappears. It is a magic, disappearing headache.
I have also learned that drama does not dissipate over the summer. For instance, at lunch:

Boy: That one chick isn't sitting with us is she?
Me: -raises eyebrows- Well, that is her purse. So yeah.
Boy: God, no!
Friend next to me: What?
Boy: Dude, the food already tastes bad. Let's not make it smell too.

...
.....
.......
Oh. So this is why people don't like high school.
-rolls eyes-
Actually, it's not all that bad.  It was fun telling him how stupid he was.
Sadly enough, teachers do have a problem with me reading books in their class. Even American Government. And trying to tell them that books teach you important stuff, much more important than the little notecards being passed around that declare MY NAME IS SAM AND I LIKE PURPLE does not work very well.
See? Lookie! I'm learning about PRINCESSES. Yeah, that's right.
Other than that, though, it's good.
I have learned that I do not look good in snot green. This is the color National Honor Society demands. I believe the heinous cut and torturous color is to assure that the freshmen don't develop crushes on the upper classmen.
-pets the freshmen- I have also learned that freshmen are cute, like puppies.
(Not really. But I feel as if I don't say enough obnoxious WHAT NOW, I'M A JUNIOR phrases. Excuse my overcompensating.)
I've learned that I can actually park my car. That's nice. I've also learned that just because I can park, that does not guarantee that the convertible next to me can. So, when backing up, I have learned that you must do obnoxious thing to assure that you don't get your car smacked.
Ooh. And when driving to the library, I learned that eldery women tailgating me and dangling a cigarette out their window inexplicably make my car drive slower, the windows roll down, and the music go up.
Weird how that works, huh?
All in all, I think it'll be a good year. English looks fun, Debate should be good, History is eh, Math and Chemistry Shall No Longer Be Named, and World History might kick my butt. I've yet to decide. Oh, and I'm actually supposed to hablar espanol in Spanish 3.
Urm.
Buenos Dias! Adios! Hablamos!
 Errrr. OOH! I REMEMBER!
El chico es muy guapo! Or--wait. Is it mucho?
No. Muy. Maybe.
...
Anyway.
How bout you? How was your first day of school? Or have you not had it yet? (YOU LUCKY.) Or, if you are of the SUAVE older peeps, you should tell me about your college experience. Give me hope for a shiny, pretty time.
Cheers!
More later.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Cheer, please

My sister went to college today. My make up is safe, a pair of black shoes have mysteriously disappeared, and my car looks lonely in the driveway. (Actually, my car looks like it's reveling in its new and enlarged space.) I will have to walk myself through math. When something bad happens with a boy, I'm going to have to deal with it by myself. I won't have to fight to save Vampire Diaries from endless CSI reruns. 
But I miss my sister.
No hat to steal, either.
So your turn. Link to something pretty. Or cute. Or funny. I'm emo and depressed today. No news on the oil spill. No pictures of sad puppies. 
Cheer me up, please. 

Friday, August 13, 2010

Foreign Friday: The Replacement, by Brenna Yovanoff

(I realize I probably should, um, explain Foreign Friday for those who are new.)
Foreign Friday is something I started, showing the --omg, you'll never believe it-- foreign covers for books. It will normally contain a small review. And, in case you aren't from the United States, I'll show the American cover. 
It will usually be a book that's been out for a while, but since 

However, since Brenna Yovanoff was so amazing earlier this week I decided to put up the UK cover of The Replacement. (Even though it isn't out yet.) (I don't care, though. Because she is now one of my favorite people.)
(Shut up. I know I'm weird. GO AWAY.)
 (Here is the U.S. cover.) 
The Replacement
-happy sigh- What a creepy, awesome cover.
And now...The UK cover!
ReplacementUK
-blinks-
How did she get so lucky? There's a cute boy on her cover. How awesome is it to have written a book with a cute boy on the cover? I mean, Harry Potter (shut up again. Harry Potter 1 came out when I was in first grade. I thought Harry was pretty fine) and Jace from City of Bones are two of the best characters ever, and they are on the cover.
So obviously, The Replacement is bound to join those ranks. 
Okay, I'm done for today. I'll have more pictures next week.
Cheers!




Monday, August 9, 2010

Interview with Brenna Yovanoff!

You guys. Guess what?
(And you don't get to answer if you read the post title. So, actually, just don't answer. I'll do it for you.)
I got an interview with Brenna Yovanoff. Do you know how loud I squealed when she said yes? No? Well, good. You might be under the impression I still have some dignity. 
I don't think you can describe how awesome her book looks, and because I don't want to mess it up, I'm going to let Amazon do it for me. 


The Replacement

Mackie Doyle seems like everyone else in the perfect little town of Gentry, but he is living with a fatal secret - he is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now the creatures under the hill want him back, and Mackie must decide where he really belongs and what he really wants.

A month ago, Mackie might have told them to buzz off. But now, with a budding relationship with tough, wounded, beautiful Tate, Mackie has too much to lose. Will love finally make him worthy of the human world?


-swoons- Just look at that cover!
Okay, and because I'm a freak and now can't say anything more coherent (other than YAY I'M SO EXCITED) I'm just going to put the interview. I, ahem, got a little carried away with the amount of questions. 


If you had to pick five words to describe The Replacement, what would they be?

Sweet, Strange, Dark, Gruesome, Rainy. 

What was the road from the first time you started to write The Replacement to the publishing contract like?

Well, the journey was a long one, for sure!  I wrote three drafts of a manuscript I was calling FE, which I thought was massively clever (iron, faeries—what? I like puns.).  The only problem was, no one knew what the title meant or how to pronounce it.  Well, not the *only* problem.  There were plenty of issues with that manuscript aside from the title, but I was fortunate enough to snag an agent despite the fact that the book needed work.  Basically my agent, Sarah Davies, is an editorial powerhouse.  She saw something she liked and thought we could probably salvage a story out of it.

Right after accepting representation, I plunged into a pretty significant rewrite, which was probably the scariest part of the whole process, knowing that I had a lot of work ahead of me, but that nothing was guaranteed.  I was actually kind of shocked when I got to the end of this big revision and Sarah was like, well this looks good, let's send it out!  I'd done so much work on it and gotten so used to constantly being in the middle of it that I was caught by surprise when the actual publishing contract happened fairly quickly.


What's the scariest part of getting published? The most amazing, fantabulous, squee worthy thing?

The scariest thing is definitely knowing that once the book is out there . . . it's out there.  Strangers are going to be reading it and judging it and even if something isn't quite right, too late to fix it now!  There are a lot of squee-worthy things, but I have to say the one that never gets old or loses its glamor is my cover.  I love that eerie blue forest and its creepy little baby carriage like you wouldn't believe and I get a euphoric feeling every time I see it.
During the time you were getting ready for publication, did you ever fall into a dark spot and think that maybe, just maybe, this wouldn't work? How would suggest getting through that?

So far, I'd say that I've hit snags, but no pitfalls.  When I was in the middle of the what was basically a top-down rewrite for my agent, I worried a lot that the new version might still not be right, but there was nothing I could do except push forward and do the best I could.  Writing involves a huge amount of uncertainty and sometimes it's really hard to just be okay with that.  I try to focus on the task at hand and not think too far past that, because once you start thinking about exactly how much work is still ahead of you, it can be kind of paralyzing.

You co-author the blog the Merry Sisters of Fate with Maggie Stiefvater and Tessa Gratton. Can you tell us about that?

Oh wow, you have no idea how unassailably cool it is to have people ask about that!  We've been blogging at Merry Fates for about two years now, and it started as this fun thing we did together to chart our progress as writers and to let readers in on the process.

When we started, Maggie was under contract, but the book wasn't out yet, and neither Tess nor I had agents, but we'd kind of banded together as this critique group and one day, Maggie challenged us to start a fiction blog with her.  Back then, we each posted new stories every week, but with all of us working on novels pretty much all the time now, it seemed wise to scale it back.  Now we stick to new content once a week, whether it's a story, a contest, or one of our round-table chats. 

Okay, so you have some pretty amazzzinng critique partners in those two (Maggie Stiefvater and Tessa Gratton). What's the importance of having partners like the two of them? 

They talk about blood with me and never act like I might be dangerous? (Except sometimes.)  Seriously, I can't imagine going through the publishing process without them.  They make me work hard, and they restore my sanity, and when we get together in real life, we stay up late into the night, laughing like crazy people.

Writing can be long, lonely work and I think it's so important to have people to share the experience with—and it definitely helps if they have similar senses of humor and mutual love of each other's styles.

You've got a really, really cool cover. Did you have any say about it? 

Not anything coherent, certainly.  Any time people ask, I think I mostly sound like, HOLY BLEEP, I LOVE MY COVER!  When I met him in person, my editor, Ben Schrank at Razorbill, absolutely made my day by drawing cover concepts on the whiteboard.  As soon as he put marker to dry-erase board, I just knew that the final cover was going to be magnificent! 


What's your best memory from high school?

This is going to sound unbearably sappy, but . . . my friends, definitely.  I'm very lucky in the fact I'm still friends with a lot of the same people I was friends with in high school.  Even though we don't always see each other that often, it's great to be able to hang out with people you've known almost half your life and still just really enjoy—I wouldn't give them up for anything.

Someone sticks you on a deserted island and, because they freakishly cruel, they are only going to let you bring three books. (They gave you water and food and stuff too, though, so I guess they aren't all evil.) What three books do you bring?


Hmm, this is a tough one.  Because three is not that many.   I would bring the LITTLE FRIEND by Donna Tartt, JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR. NORRELL by Susanna Clarke, and IT by Stephen King.  This is not to say that these books are my all-time absolute favorites.  But I enjoy them and reread them often.  The things they have in common are length, large casts of interesting characters, and consistent reread value. I think these things are important if they're the only things you'll be reading for the rest of your life.

What advice would you give to a teenager who wants to be a writer? 
Write.  All the time.  Don't second-guess yourself and don't worry about whether you'll sound stupid, because sometimes you *will* sound stupid, but other times, you'll hit on something totally wonderful and surprising.  Also, learn to revise.  Writing is not perfect in its original form—it just isn't.  There's always a better way to say something, but it takes time to get good at seeing that in your own work.

Basically, if you want to write something publishable, don't worry too much about publishing at first—it will only slow you down.  Instead, keep reading, keep writing, and try new things.  Keep everything you write.  Sometimes it's hard to know exactly how much you've improved, but nothing makes improvement seem more obvious than looking at old work. 


Okay, I'm done harassing you. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

I just want to say thanks for having me, Sam—and for asking such great questions! 


***
So, I'm pretty sure that was one of my favorite interviews like, ever. Including the ones I haven't done. And none of it is one me -- thank you Brenna, SO MUCH for this! 
You can look more at the Replacements here. (And pre-order it.) 
Okay, I'm done. 
More later!


Sunday, August 8, 2010

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White


Release Date: August 31, 2010


Haha, I got to read an ARC. -dances- Oh, wait. WAIT. I'm sorry I taunted you! I won't do it again!
...-sticks out tongue-...
Okay, now I'm done.)


Amazon says: 
Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.
But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
So much for normal.

I say:
Let's talk about how cute this book is.
For one thing, Evie carries a PINK TASER, And she likes awesome, pretty boots. She's kick butt and spectacular, and quite honestly, if she were real, I'd be following her around and be like Please Let Me Be Your Friend.
The book is sassy and funny. It made me laugh and it made me sad and it made me grin because the television show that Evie watches eerily resembles Gossip Girl at times.
There is a seriously great romance; it didn't seem at all forced or faked. It grew, and that is missing from SO many YA books lately. You actually like the guy (why yes, I am avoiding his name on purpose) and root for him and Evie.
PLUS, instead of cursing, they say Bleep. You'll have to read it to figure out why.
There's a creepy fairy. A mystery. A bad character that your heart aches for. A cute boy. A best friend that you love. A mother-ish figure that you alternatively want to glare at and then hug. It's hilarious. It's sweet and sad. The first book of a series that actually stands on its own and has a full story arc (so basically, it avoids my pet peeve in trilogies) and, well, basically it has a pretty boy. That would enough for me. But the book totally goes beyond that.
 My bleep, this book was so cute.
(So is the author, by the by. One of the cutest.)
(You should also go pre-order it.)
(But please don't hate me for telling you to go spend your money. Promise, it's worth it. Just check  the first few tweets.)
Go read! (Otherwise I might taunt you again.)
More later.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Things I Know

Summer is coming to a close, though you wouldn't know it by the hideous weather. School is around the corner. And with that happening, I have decided to chronicle critical lessens I have learned in the past few months. More specifically, critical lessens I have learned THIS FREAKING WEEK.

Number One: Do Not Sleep Outside
Tumblr_l5lvnqkrl61qct2ibo1_400_large

I know. I know, it sounds like a bad idea right off the bat. But it's hot inside, and people are telling you to be quiet, so you and your friends decide, WELL, WE ARE AWESOME AND YOU ARE NOT AND SO WE ARE GOING TO SLEEP OUTSIDE.
And then, to quote Tamora Pierce 'The bugs realize they don't have to go to the inn to feast.'
27 bug bites later (Yeah, I counted) I look pretty much like a diseased freak. And not the kind of disease that I can be like, well, you know, it's bad, but at least I'm cool and am going to turn all sparkly and possibly have to drink some blood.
So, my pretties, if you would like to stay pretty and shiny and oh-so-fabulous, ignore your friends. Stand up to peer pressure.
Just sleep on the dang couch.

Lessen Two: Never Underestimate the Power Of A Car Wash
2zg7ktd_large

Or, even better. Just don't wash your car. Come on. Who says we should have to keep our car's clean? Just society, and society is dumb. 
See, you spend five bucks to wash your car, because you are thrifty and do not NEED such frivolity as the 8 dollar wash. You're all happy and shiny and all YAY MY CAR IS GOING TO BE PRETTY. And then you drive in. The thingy beeps at you to stop. You stop and grin because YAY MY CAR IS GOING TO BE SHINY. 
And so the car wash starts. It dumps buckets of soap all over you.
And then . . . it stops.
The car wash beeps cheerfully. You sit in the car, staring through the suds, and wait for it to start with the water.
Car wash beep again. It doesn't sound so cheerful. Scared that car wash is going to eat you and your car, you drive through again, your car dripping with foam.
And you spend another five dollars because, well, your car is dripping with foam and there's no one around to complain to.
And then, AND THEN, guess what?
It will rain the next day.
-stab-
So, basically, if you are like me and seem to have pissed off the car wash gods, do not ever use one. 
Number Three: Eat chocolate. And drink coffee. 


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You might think having both is excessive. Perhaps even gluttounous. Don't worry, there is a plan.
It will get you through the car wash. It will get you through the hard times. It will be your friend. And most importantly, if you ever meet the Car Wash Gods, you can throw the coffee in their face.
Then, because you are clever, you can still munch on the chocolate. 

Aren't I smart?
Come on. It's okay. I like applause. Don't hold it back.
....
You know what, it's okay. Don't applaud. It would just embarrass me anyway. 



Friday, August 6, 2010

Foreign Friday: Forest Of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan



(Hush. I know I already posted my thoughts on the Forest of Hands And Teeth a while ago. So I'll just post the pretty pictures. I know that's the most important part.)
To me, that looks more like the zombie than the MC. Yowza.

Though, admittable enough, that is not my favorite of the covers. 

However, I will say this. I didn't love this book. I did, however, love the sequel. The sequel hasn't been out long enough for foreign covers, though, so we're going with the first.
The American version. It really is a creepy cover. It was the first of its kind, too -- I remember thinking how creepy and disturbing it was. Now, a ton of other books seem to have copied it.
However, the Brazilian cover? Yeah, I think it wins the points for creepy.

Below is the cover for France. Is it just me, or do you kinda get the Little Red Riding Hood vibe?
Below is the cover from Greece.
Now, before you look at it, I would like to tell you this. Yeah, the name of the publishing company?
Platypus.
I classify that as a WIN.

And then there is Germany. -pets Germany- -glares at all the German folk-
You guys? Yeah, why do you all have such awesome covers?


GEESH. I want that cover. I like that cover, and I have decided that someday, that is what my hair is going to look like.
-glances at hair-
...Or not.
More later.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

I'm over there

What? Too lazy to post on my own blog? Pointing you over to a post I did for Maggie?
Me?
Never.
But if I WERE doing that, it would totally be here.
And yeah, there might be some whining about Sailor Moon.
What of it? 


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At heart, I am 8 years old. Which is kind of ironic, considering that when you read the subtitles for the original version of Sailor Moon, you really should be at least 13ish.
More later.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Check it Out

Being a kid can be difficult, right? It's hard for 16 year olds to get taken seriously; it's even harder for younger kids to get someone to so much as blink and say 'Oh, how cute.' I'm not talking about agents or editors -- they're actually not judgmental in the least (Just look at Kody Keplinger) -- I'm talking about a lot of older writers. I suppose in a way, I can't blame them. I mean, I can see how trusting someone half your age with something as personal as your writing could be daunting.
However, that does make websites that focus for teens so valuable. Places like Inkpop.com (Yeah, yeah, someday I'll shut up about it someday) are great for that. I have twice the confidence I had before the end of March. (Because, yeah, that's just what every 16 year old needs -- an ego.)
But sometimes, the competitive edge to places like inkpop swallows everything else. Don't get me wrong, I love the site, but it does get so desperate to reach the Top Five that sometimes, the basic rule of 'I'd like to improve' gets thrown to the side.
That's why I like this website. It's just barely starting out, but I think it has amazing, amazing potential.