When I Grow Up

Hey, guys! -waves-
So, today I turned 17. Yeah. I know. Exciting, right?
...
.....
-crickets-
....
Oh, yeah, good point. 17 isn't all that spectacular. I mean, last year I started to drive. Next year I vote. This year ... not much.
Except -- WAIT. I can buy duct tape now! Legally!

(Sadly enough, I did actually buy that for a friend once, as a birthday present. My maturity has always been superior.)

Anyway. :P
This past year has been hard. Everyone said junior year is hard, and I laughed at them, and now they are at melaughing as I pull out my hair and cry in the corner   stoically move through the end of the year. But I made it to Nationals, and I made it into Alpha. I got through incessant drama with some hair left  sanity remaining --
Oh, wait, sanity. I never had much to start with...
Eh, whatever.
Anyway again.
People always ask what we want to be when we grow up. At 17, you're expected to have an answer.
I still don't. I don't know exactly what I am going to be.
But I know who I want to be like.

Authors like Daisy Whitney, Stephanie Perkins, Kiersten White -- authors that respond to readers and write books to brighten up the darkest days. Authors like JK Rowling and Tamora Pierce -- authors that change a kid's life. Librarians like my own amazing and fantabulous Sarah -- an adult who is always there if I needed her, and who put me on hold for a book about 'How To Get Over That Jerk' when I showed up at the library depressed and pulling out even more hair   whining. People like Myra McEntire, who not only write amazing books but tweet niceness at teens who are now sad and bald  having incredibly bad days.
They're who I want to be like.
Plus, you know, there is this.

-grins- I like it.

I'm glad for this past year. I'm glad that, at 16, I've had some of the best role models a kid could ask for.
Anyway. (For the last time, promise!)
 I'm off to figure out what the heck a boutonniere is, because I've got prom on Saturday and I have been informed that I was supposed to figure that out weeks ago. -coughs- I am officially a fail as a date. Anyone wanna help me out here? It's a flower, right?
...
Meh. Google will teach me.
For now, thanks to all of you. Thanks for making last year great.
More later.

And onward we go

So, we are officially a week into the New Year of 2011, and so far, things seem to basically be the same. Good books, too much debate, not enough sparkles, dramatic high school moments that will totally be a book someday, and waaaaaay too much math.

(Seriously. This math stuff needs to stop.)

Anyway. With the new year, new worlds are supposed to open. We're supposed to be new people, shinier, sparklier, smarter. So far, I haven't seen it. But hey, 2010 was kind of awesome. I got Top Five on inkpop, got to meet so many cool people through this blog, got my driver's licence (which, um, is kind of a miracle) and realized my true love for coffee. All in all, a win. 

I am not a resolution kind of person. I go into debate tournaments planning on failing miserably. That way, when I walk out with a trophy, I've been happily surprised. That way, when I crash and burn, I can joke about it without hurting my pride too badly. (Hey, I'm 16. Pride is important to me.) (Well. Kind of . . . Actually, not really.)

I like being surprised. I never would have guessed that 2010 would have had so many weird, awful, wonderful turns and twists. It makes sense, I guess -- a good story isn't predictable, so why would life be any different? 

So, a week into 2011, I have finally figured that the only real resolution I have is to keep having fun. Even through the crappy moments, the bad boy stuff, the dramatic friend moments, the writing lows, and the reading slumps, I loved this last year. I plan on liking this next one, too. Heck -- in 2012, I'm done with high school, so I'd better enjoy my last year of free education and cliched moments while I can.

However, I might possibly do more of my math homework this year. 

(Probably not, though.)

What about you all? Resolutions? Anit-resolutions? Thoughts on last year, next year? A mutual hatred of that evil thing called math?
Also. As my farewell gift to 2010, a few things that seem to illustrate my blog posts of the last year:

Cute furry thing. Cute shirtless thing. Sparkly pretty thing.
-ponders-
Yup. That pretty much says it all.

More later.

Here come the holidays

Hey all! How are you? Freezing? Dancing around with hot chocolate and apple cider? Wearing fuzzy socks?
Dude.
Why not?

Anyway, the holidays are here or coming, depending on your denomination, and I think we should CELEBRATE. And how should we do that?
Well. With books, obviously.
Every year, my mom buys books for Christmas. Seriously, there are usually quite a few books. This year, I know several of the ones I'm getting, though. (How? She let me pick them out. AND THEN SHE TOOK THEM AWAY. Yes. My mother is mean.) (Hi, mom. Love you oodles. :P )
Anyway.
Do you give books for Christmas? I'm always nervous to hand people book babies, because what if they don't like them? Seriously, that would be no bueno. (Why yes, I am in Spanish III. Can't you tell?) However, there are a few that I know are usually good bets. And now we segue into the point of this post.
PRESENTS.
What books make good presents? Now. I know. You can't give the same book to everyone. It would be BAD. Giving me a book on the intricacies of tuna, for instance, would not go over well. But there are some blanket books that work relatively well, I think.
 For instance, for little girls?
This one.

Seriously. I loved this book dearly when I was younger. It has LESSONS and PRINCESSES and dude, it even has monkeys.
This is obviously the sign of supremacy in the book world.
I'd offer up Harry Potter, but everyone in their right mind has already read it. If you haven't, you should.
 (-cough-Maggie-cough-) (Someday, she'll get sick of me harassing her and read them. And I will be very pleased.)

For the teenage set, I can definately recommend one this year. Serious, I wasn't joking. Need a present for a teenage girl? I suggest Anna And The French Kiss.

It's funny. It's sweet. It's everything that you want for Christmas. I actually can't think of a friend that probably wouldn't like it. I'm generally the most cynical of my group, and I thought it was adorable. And dude, I don't use that word often. Only when it comes to puppies, boys, sparkles, monkeys, pandas, more boys, waving cats, movies, aliens, other boys, Glee, and some books. So really, it's a pretty dang exclusive list.
This usually goes over pretty well, also. Now the movie is coming out, too, which means reading it is imperative. Seriously, City Of Bones is great.

Seriously. I actually haven't heard a teenager say they DIDN'T love this book. (Jace be hot, y'all.)
-ponders other books-
This was good for adult-like things. (AND THIS MOVIE IS COMING OUT TOO ZOMG. Why the caps? Because it's Rob Pattinson, and when he is not sparkly, he is really really hot.)

I don't usually like adult stuff (because, hello, I'm 16 and have severe Peter Pan syndrome) but Water for Elephants actually has kept me entertained.
I'm reading The Inferno now, but I don't really suggest that. I mean, I guess it's probably good to read, but for Christmas? I suggest brain candy. Candy is good. And it's Christmas, so candy implies peppermint. Win!

Dude. Is it just me, or does that look REALLY good?

Anyway. School is almost out for semester, which means a couple weeks of sleeping, Disney movies, reading, writing, and hopefully, no more petty school drama. You have no idea how excited I am for all of that. I will be delving into the worlds of fictional characters and drinking yummy peppermint chocolate. For realz, yo.

What about you? What are your plans for the holidays? And what books would you suggest as gifts?

Have Some Candy

Happy All Hallows Eve, yay! -hands you candy-

-blinks-

That ... doesn't look so great.

Here.

Have these.

I'm off to do my homework (ew) and hand candy out to ungrateful goblins cute children (aw) and listen to Taylor Swift music (yay!). 

Happy 17th!

It's Maggie's birthday! -waves at Maggie- I'm now going to embarrass her by telling you how awesome she is.

She is basically my favorite person on the planet. This does not include the Sailor Scouts or anything with abs, obviously, but she is very close up there seeing as she watches Sailor Scouts with me and talks about things with abs. Actually, that might boost her to the top. -ponders-

They say Happy Birthday too

 She is talented and awesome and I love her a lot. -bounces- 
We've been friends since fifth grade, but started trading stories late in freshman year. She's the first person who ever read anything I'd written and quite honestly, is the best motivator I could ever have.
 And books. We have similar taste in books and she's GREAT to talk about them with. And plus, she's gonna be an author someday. How do I know? Because the first time she sent me a story, I read it through, then went and read it again. Then a third time. My literal first thought? Holy crap. She's way better than me.
She's not going to believe that. I can guarantee you she won't. But it's completely true. 
 If I get an agent, whether next year or twenty years from now, it will be ALL HER FAULT. I don't know that I would have finished anything without her stabbing me with a pitchfork talking me down from freaky crazy highs or yanking me out of emo lows. Actually, at the freaky crazy highs she's generally bouncing along with me. But that is not the point. The point is she got me through inkpop, and sophomore year when my friends went insane and dramatic and once in 8th grade, when my best guy friend made me cry, she snapped at him and called him an a$$hole. I'd never seen heard her snap at anyone before. It was quite spectacular. As is she. 

Anyway.

Happy birthday Maggie!

Sweet Sixteen

16 has always seemed like some kind of mystical age to me. When I was younger, it was the age of magic. It's the time when you are supposed to be beautiful, mature, and quite possibly be dating some kind of mythical creature. It's the time when everything changes.

I'm not sure I believe that anymore, but regardless, tomorrow is my sixteenth birthday

.
I was going to post then, but I probably will be busy, so I'm doing it now.

...

Actually, I'm not sure what to say. Normally, I love birthdays. I count down to them for months. I wait and wait for them to arrive. This year, though, it's a tad different. Part of that, I think, is because 15 was a pretty good year by itself.

In the past year, I:

Finished Altered.

Sent out queries and got some responses, both good and bad--and have learned so much.

Started sophomore year and survived.

Got to talk to almost a dozen different authors online.

Got to talk to Holly Schindler in person.

Scored a Harper Collins review by getting Altered to the top five on Inkpop.
Have learned at the same time that getting an A- in English is not panic attack worthy--it just means I need to work a little harder.
Brought home several pretty trophies.
Started this blog.

And that's not even including the fun social stuff. :P All in all, even with school sometimes feeling like it's going to swallow me alive, this has been a pretty good year.

Plus, yesterday, I got this.

Isn't it pretty? Notice the butterfly seats. That would be courtesy of my sister and her friend. My dad is so thrilled that we so quickly girl-i-fied it.
Anyway, though, that's it for now, because it's my birthday and I want to go celebrate. Love!

2009

Tonight marks 2010. The past ten years have seen me start school, make friends, lose friends, move from California to small but lovable hickville, learn to read and learn to write, get my heart broken and grow a strong addiction to glitter.
Example A--Well, just look up.
2009 was an especially lovely year.
It came with these:

All of which are now on my favorite book list.
It came with these:

And for me personally, it came with the end of my first year of highschool, the start of my querying agents, and this:

As you know, a girl's purse is her best friend. A purse that can fit book? Well, that's a true BFF.
Anyway. 2009 was a good year. It's weird and strange that we're now entering the double digits. My entire life seems to be in the last decade. It was when the towers fell in 2001, when America entered a war, when the last Harry Potter came out and the start of a really cool cell phone.
However, 2010 isn't looking too shabby either. I mean with this stuff all coming out;
2010 is bound to be good.
Anyway, this will be my last post of 2009. Happy New Years! Oh, and as a farewell present, I offer you this . . .

Because what would the end of the year be without a tribute to my shallow side?
Happy 2010, everyone.

All I want for Xmas is a big, fat, book

This has been an interesting few weeks.
First of all, my computer keeps freaking out. That's partly why posting is so sporadic; every time I seem to log on, it kicks me off. Cursed creature.
Second, there are some lovely teachers that are piling their students with homework. Reason number two.
And third, I was just kind of angry with the whole agent search thing after the 'Fifteen year olds are not responsible.'
But I am over that. Now is the time for holidays. Yay!
Sadly, I don't know many other holiday symbols. If I left yours out, I'm sorry!
Personally, we celebrate Christmas. I'm excited; every year we get tons of books. This year, I'm asking for these;

These are the ones that I've seen that look good. (Oh wait. Magic Under Glass won't come out on time, but it still looks good.) Any other suggestions? Of course, I'm also asking for this;

But I don't think they supply those at my local Target. Or my high school. Pity.
Anyway.
I just finished this;

And I would suggest it. It's robots and science and treachery galore, plus it was blurbed by Scott Westerfeld. It's the sequel to Skinned, which I enjoyed, but didn't adore. Crashed, however, was one of those books that I hide under my desk when the teacher is talking and then stare longingly at instead of doing my assignment. It built well, it ended well; it was just a very good book.

Epic moments all around

I'm not even going into that, other than to say, yes, I am participating. Kind of. But I think everyone knows the rules and the excitement. I think it's great. I do kind of find myself wincing on behalf of the agents and editors out there (I imagine they're about to be bombarded with hundreds and thousands of manuscripts) but it is great. Epic, even.
(Agh, just googled Epic to find a picture. Yuck.)
Halloween is over, which is sad. I'm kind of a sugar bug, so I'm fond of that holiday. The only problem is the ferocity of trick or treating children. They're very forceful.
For instance:
Me- "Oh, that's a cute costume."
Little blonde creature- "What am I?"
I look her up and down and recognize the S and W on her blue and red outfit. "You're Superwoman."
Blonde creature- "No, I'm Super Girl. Get it right!"
And she tromps off, candy in tow. I resisted the urge to take back the Snickers bars. This is my effort of spreading holiday cheer-not smacking children and withholding candy.
Oh, wait, that's Christmas
On a random note, I just finished this book;


It's very good. Creepy with an aggravating ending, but very good all the same.
The book trailer is even better. And no, that's not just because the guy's kind of cute.
That's only some of it.