Archive for the 'Reading is FUNdamental' Category

December 21, 2009 | Book Stuff,Life in General,Movie Queue,Reading is FUNdamental,The 4-1-1 on Me,Weekend Wrap-Up

Here are more pics from my company holiday party

Friday night was date night for Mr. Maul and I. We had dinner at Claim Jumper then went to see AVATAR in 3D. It was long, but I liked it. James Cameron did a really fabulous job. I’m glad he waited as long as he did to do it right. When they were in “Avatar” world, it was so cool. It was so real, right down to the movement of hair. When they did up close shots of Neytiri (Zoe Saldana. I LOVE this name. It’s going on my Girls Name List) and Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), you could hear the beads in her hair when she moved her head. But the planet of Pandora was just…amazing.

They say that humans are connected to Earth and we need to get back to that, but the race of the Na’vi really are connected to their planet. Literally. And I didn’t really understand how tall the avatars were compared to the humans until the very end. Since the two races were always fighting when together in the same frame, you couldn’t really tell. Needless to say, tall is an understatement. They’re more like giants. LOL. James Cameron created a beautiful world and I can totally see why Jake wanted to stay. So cool. I wish I’d seen more behind the scenes on this movie.

Saturday and Sunday, we did a little shopping. Both for Christmas and ourselves. On Friday, we exchanged gifts at my job and I snagged a $15 GC from Barnes and Noble. Woot! I think if anyone tried to take it away from me, they would’ve had to pry it from my dead cold fingers. LOL. So I used it to buy Karen Kelley‘s latest in her Planet Nerak series, Dating Outside Your DNA. LOL. Neat title, eh?

I also bought a Betty Boop 2010 calendar for work, some reasonably priced Cal King sheets for our bed from Ross, and a couple of body butters from The Body Shop (Mr. Maul’s best friend’s wife gave me a GC here for Christmas). I’m trying two new scents: Nutmeg and Vanilla, and Black Velvet Apricot.

I’m not a big fan of the scent of Vanilla. Never have been. But this stuff smelled pretty good and the Vanilla scent was light, not overwhelming.

I also found this kick-ass short-sleeved shirt at Hot Topic (CLICK PIC TO ENLARGE VIEW)

LOL. Barbie is Diggin’ It. And so was I. That’s why I bought it. I won’t be able to wear this until it starts warming up, but I laffed when I saw it. I don’t think they had Barbie’s like this back in the 70′s did they? Wouldn’t that be cool if they had? Hah!

That’s it for me. So…how was your weekend? Are you all ready for the holidays?

Technorati Tags: Claim Jumper, AVATAR, James Cameron, Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Barnes and Noble, Karen Kelley, Dating Outside Your DNA., Betty Boop, Ross, The Body Shop, Nutmeg and Vanilla, Black Velvet Apricot, Hot Topic, Barbie

December 9, 2009 | Book Stuff,Life in General,Reading is FUNdamental,Road Trip Wednesday,The 4-1-1 on Me,Writer Moment

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival”, where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it in on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #10

Getting to Know You

1) What are the three best books you’ve read this year? I wouldn’t say these were the best, but I liked them. Just to warn you, none of them are YA. Ask me this question same time, next year, and it’s likely I’ll have a different answer:

Into the Woods by Julie Leto and Once Upon a Mattress by Leslie Kelly – As you all know from one of the previous RTW posts, I’m addicted to this adult romance line. I liked this particular story because these authors created a world that exists in the same time, but another universe….a place called Elatyria where all the fairytales we read about are considered legends. Very cool.

A Taste of Magic and A Stroke of Magic by Tracy Madison (Gypsy Magic Series) – Alice Raymond and Elizabeth Stevens are sisters…with a little special, um, gift. An ancient gypsy magic has been passed down through the females in the family bloodline and it manifests for both of them in different ways. These are the first two in the series, so I’m hoping there’s going to be more.

Viking Heat (Viking Series II) by Sandra Hill. Love. This. Series. I’ve read all 10 books in this particular series. Long story short, this series is about a bunch of hunky Navy SEALs. They either get pulled back during the time of Vikings…and stay there (because they fell in love) or the Vikings are pulled into the current year. And stay, because they fell in love. This particular story focuses on the heroine who joins the WEALs (female version of Navy SEALs) and gets knocked into Viking times. If anything, just check out Sandra’s site and drool over the cover images.

2) If you could meet one author (living or dead), who would it be? I’ve already met her and gushed about her in RTW #9

3) What book are you most looking forward to in 2010? I’m just looking forward to reading Susan Mallery‘s Fools Gold series. Again, ask me this question same time, next year and my answer will probably be different.

Technorati Tags: Road Trip Wednesday, YA Highway, Into the Woods, Julie Leto, Once Upon a Mattress, Leslie Kelly, A Taste of Magic, A Stroke of Magic, Tracy Madison, Viking Heat, Sandra Hill, Susan Mallery

December 2, 2009 | Reading is FUNdamental,Road Trip Wednesday,SARK-ism,The 4-1-1 on Me,Writer Moment

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival”, where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it in on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #9

Who’s your literary crush?

My literary crush is SARK.

It’s an acronym which stands for Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy. I. LOVE. THIS. WOMAN. She’s all about self-help/self-empowerment, but not in the typical way. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her several times, as well attending her very fun workshops, and I always come away feeling uplifted. I think it’s her energy. Or maybe it’s the fact that she conducts her book signings and workshops in purple lounging pajamas. Whenever she releases a new book, she does a book signing here at the local indie store, Changing Hands. Her books are amazingly color-full (it’s SARK’s way of spelling it) and interactive, filled with quotes and references to other great resources. They’re picture books for adults. LOL. Truly. Text written in different color ink, pictures, doodling in the margins…it’s fantabulous. I think it’s so cool that she’s able to have her books published like that. Makes me wonder about her editing process.

But that’s not all.

Not only does she write, but she’s got amazing stuff and workshops. Nearly all of her books take up space on my bookshelf and I have her words of wisdom plastered in my office and room. The Micro Movement Wheel she talks about in “Make Your Creative Dreams Real” helps me write my books. But I refer to them as Writing Movements.

I’ve flagged several pages in her “Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper” book because they could be utilized in a writing program. I wish the Writer’s Manifesto at the front of this book was a poster.

Seriously, how can you not want to pick up a book titled “Wild, Succulent Woman”

“Eat Mangoes Naked”

“The Bodacious Book of Succulence”

“Living Juicy”

or “Inspiration Sandwich?”

What other self help book do you know of that has sections where you can draw and write? None, I tell you.

I want a Magic Cottage like hers.

For some reason, not everyone likes her. For reals. I find that really hard to believe, but there it is. If you’re one of those people, what the hell is wrong with you? Is she not clinical enough for you? Is she not boring enough for you? Is she not serious enough for you? Who said self-help has to be all those things? Um, not SARK. That’s for sure.

SARK, if you’re reading this, as long as you continue to write your amazing books, I will continue to read them. Also, you really need to make that Writer’s Manifesto into a poster. I wasn’t kidding about that.

Favorite Quote:

“I am enough, I have enough, I do enough.”

Technorati Tags: Road Trip Wednesday, YA Highway, SARK, Changing Hands, Make Your Creative Dreams Real, Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper, Wild, Succulent Woman, Eat Mangoes Naked, The Bodacious Book of Succulence, Living Juicy

November 25, 2009 | Life in General,Reading is FUNdamental,Road Trip Wednesday,The 4-1-1 on Me,Writer Moment

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival”, where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it in on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #8

What do you do when you’re not writing?

1) READ, READ and READ some more. Have I not talked about this before? I know I’ve waxed poetic about it. If I could do nothing but read all day, I would. And have, actually. I’ve been stockpiling books to read and I can’t wait to dive into them once school is done:

Can’t Stand the Heat Louisa Edwards
Holding Out for a Hero HelenKay Dimon
A Great Kisser Donna Kauffmann
Bodyguard Lori Foster (I like anthologies)
on the bright side, i’m now the girlfriend of a sex god: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (Book 2) Louise Rennison – actually, I started it and need to finish it
Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City Kirsten Miller
Kiki Strike: The Empress’s Tomb Kirsten Miller
Dani Noir Nova Ren Suma (love this name)
Just One Wish Janette Rallison
My Fair Godmother Janette Rallison

2) I also like to catch up on my shows. There are many and I’ve mentioned them before (although the list may be a little different now), so I won’t bore you again.

3) I also like going to the movies. My hobby is saving movie tickets and I have tickets from, like, the early 80′s. Next month, around the holidays, I’ll be doing my recap of the movies I saw during 2009. Should be a treat for you. And for me. Digging through the envelope of tickets. It’s always interesting to see how many movies I saw during that year.

Technorati Tags: Road Trip Wednesday, YA Highway, Can’t Stand the Heat, Louisa Edwards, Holding Out for a Hero, HelenKay Dimon, A Great Kisser, Donna Kauffmann, Bodyguard, Lori Foster, on the bright side, i’m now the girlfriend of a sex god: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson, Louise Rennison, Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City, Kiki Strike: The Empress’s Tomb, Kirsten Miller, Dani Noir, Nova Ren Suma, Just One Wish, My Fair Godmother, Janette Rallison

November 11, 2009 | Life in General,Reading is FUNdamental,Road Trip Wednesday,The 4-1-1 on Me,Writer Moment

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival”, where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it in on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #6

What are you reading besides YA?

Well, since I already discussed this in RTW #5, I won’t bother you with the details again. The question, in my case, should be “Do you read YA’s?” My answer, sad to say, is “hardly ever.” I know what you’re thinking: “She writes YA, for heavens sake. Why doesn’t she read YA?” Here’s one little detail I didn’t mention when I was rhapsodizing about adult romances in RTW #5:

I got addicted to adult romance books back in high school because the YA books, back then, bored me. To. Tears. Seriously.

Only within the past year or two, have I started reading the genre I write for. I’m not totally out of the YA loop, though. There are some YA blogs that I follow on the regular: YA Fresh, Janette Rallison, and Books, Boys, and Buzz. A plethora of books to choose from, so no need for the slap on the wrist.

It’s been within the past year or two that I’ve started to read YA books. I like the GEORGIA NICOLSON series by Louise Rennison. Read Book 1, in the middle of Book 2. Hi-larious. And you really do need the dictionary of words in the back, because the character is British. I also bought the first two KIKI STRIKE books, but have yet to read them. They will be read. Eventually. I also want to read DANI NOIR by Nova Ren Suma (isn’t that a most awesome name?). I was intrigued by the book after reading about the author on Courtney Summers blog.

I feel kinda guilty for not reading more of my genre. I really have no excuse because I don’t think the books out now would bore me. But I’m sticking to romance ones, though. For some reason, I prefer watching the paranormal-fantasy stuff, rather than reading it. No offense to all you urban fantasy/paranormal writers out there.

Technorati Tags: Road Trip Wednesday, YA Highway, YA Fresh, Janette Rallison, Books, Boys, and Buzz, GEORGIA NICOLSON, Louise Rennison, KIKI STRIKE, DANI NOIR, Nova Ren Suma, Courtney Summers