tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90100514166903654652024-03-18T21:41:21.417-07:00Brave New WordsKick-butt action, parallel worlds, secret government experiments, post-apocalyptica and more sci-fi mayhem, all comin' at ya in 2012!Heather Anastasiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14974838585457441140noreply@blogger.comBlogger163125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-79297559177038925512012-03-04T05:30:00.000-08:002012-03-04T05:30:00.387-08:00On Book TrailersI was thinking a lot about book trailers recently. A lot of books
that come out have them now, and this is a relatively new thing--I can't
remember any books having trailers back when I was a teenager. And
there's a range of trailers. Some are more simple--text and pictures
with music, and then some are much more sophisticated with actors and
everything else. So after researching trailers a little, I came up with a
list of my favorites. <br />
<br />
Best quality goes to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWrNyVhSJUU"><i>Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children</i></a>. It's practically a movie trailer and it's definitely got the creepy vibe going for it.<br />
<br />
The trailer for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPLHl1Urjnk"><i>Harbinger</i> </a>by Sara Wilson Etienne gave me chills at the end.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4BCKLbRHTM"><i>The Fault in Our Stars</i></a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI8bpvmNpvE"><i>The Disenchantments</i></a> are both short and intriguing, and they feel a little like trailers for an indie teen movie or music video.<br />
<br />
And of course Lauren Oliver's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldyMb9cneAQ"><i>Before I Fall</i></a> is one I simply love. The characters, the voice over, the way it's shot, everything reflects the tone of the book.<br />
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What trailers did I miss? What are some of your favorites?<br />
<br />
So
the reason for all this book trailer thoughts? Several weeks ago I got
to weigh in on the script and casting for my own book trailer for <i>Unraveling</i>. And TOMORROW, will be the release! More news to come soon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBNAp_kSLbfKL-bdsTfXAM1sRJRdV788IHzmFCjLd6EQSW4h565DM53oeNIDlIwMq5jJDpII5u4wNLgxLJMFUnWxvpQUQeEzyBJK8fIIElV6tcPAsCx9TH6GcE_exRry0OeSByFnO_AZT/s1600/liznorris.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBNAp_kSLbfKL-bdsTfXAM1sRJRdV788IHzmFCjLd6EQSW4h565DM53oeNIDlIwMq5jJDpII5u4wNLgxLJMFUnWxvpQUQeEzyBJK8fIIElV6tcPAsCx9TH6GcE_exRry0OeSByFnO_AZT/s1600/liznorris.jpg" /></a></div>
Liz Norris briefly taught high school
English and history before trading the southern California beaches and
sunshine for Manhattan's recent snowpocalyptic winter. She harbors
dangerous addictions to guacamole, red velvet cupcakes, sushi, and Argo
Tea, fortunately not all together. Her first novel, UNRAVELING
(Balzer+Bray April 2012), is the story of one girl’s fight to save her
family, her world, and the one boy she never saw coming.</div>
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<a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/liz_norris">twitter</a> * <a href="http://liznorris.blogspot.com/">website/blog</a> * <a href="http://liznorris24.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a></div>elizabeth norrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05864234263010675357noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-85767543500620096302012-02-13T02:39:00.000-08:002012-02-13T12:25:33.798-08:00Luuurve Post: The Breaking Dawn Movie & Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5R66uXxCpTRk37J-RqRejRbwIlwCqQiB7P6s3lzVKjhJnkngeH_GbkRVsvlZZup3f36m_QKpOPBjm_IPl8rnebbRD6nfEIQQ_DqZepIzvMwBKQRnbfo-ZE-h0-i7RrCnRIvY5Zd7doJCZ/s1600/Breaking-Dawn-Part-1-Movie-Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5R66uXxCpTRk37J-RqRejRbwIlwCqQiB7P6s3lzVKjhJnkngeH_GbkRVsvlZZup3f36m_QKpOPBjm_IPl8rnebbRD6nfEIQQ_DqZepIzvMwBKQRnbfo-ZE-h0-i7RrCnRIvY5Zd7doJCZ/s200/Breaking-Dawn-Part-1-Movie-Poster.jpg" width="135" /></a>So I was one of those girls who fell fast and hard for <em>Twilight</em> when it first came out, avidly read (and re-read) the series, and was waiting at midnight for the release of the <em>Breaking Dawn</em> book when it came out. I went to an all night IHOP, got about 100 pages in and was like: oh no. Pregnant Bella? No, no, no, <em>no</em>, please don't be going there! I loved this series because it was all wish-fullfillment teenage romance before the complications of marriage and kids! And she's too young!!! Please, NO TEENAGERS HAVING BABIES!!!!!</div><br />
But as we all know now, it went there:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wGCgLJettJ6f8tMdDQIJWDHQ-RffvQgIqagC5pdLhs9YDHdMaNm7huuNvRwibjOS2klpmzpct86sT_oVoz7x7gpwg5-NuZR8zhAX28fTMY_JttfdYRVJ2u0Qo1VPHZqfOUVJCmbF2u2j/s1600/breaking+dawn+bella-pregnant-460x307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wGCgLJettJ6f8tMdDQIJWDHQ-RffvQgIqagC5pdLhs9YDHdMaNm7huuNvRwibjOS2klpmzpct86sT_oVoz7x7gpwg5-NuZR8zhAX28fTMY_JttfdYRVJ2u0Qo1VPHZqfOUVJCmbF2u2j/s320/breaking+dawn+bella-pregnant-460x307.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Then when the movie came out last Fall, I was in a rough place personally, so while there some moments that were really gorgeous and awesome, I couldn't love it. I myself got engaged at 18 and married at 19. And there were some really hard times. All I could see when I first watched the movie were the potential hard times ahead that were maybe glossed over by this perfect wedding and happy ending feeling. I thought: they're too young to be pledging forever!<br />
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But I bought it today and watched it again with my husband (married ten years now, huzzah!), and with my personal stuff all sorted through, and expectation of Baby Plot from the beginning, I really enjoyed it. And from the box office numbers, it looks like a lot of other people did too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtL_n4pGSj0WM1KXjzNkVhdsb3nF9V04fr3DfOBwqBIhyphenhyphenrx2DtUKEpwzDWbnB0NL7PEqIqsnQhrUvzJfh-ywxQBNwvXDczmhavVpuroh1KKM22mfWnvEElewm6ld3-G32ZgKhshKktLXlI/s1600/Breakingdawn+uhq1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtL_n4pGSj0WM1KXjzNkVhdsb3nF9V04fr3DfOBwqBIhyphenhyphenrx2DtUKEpwzDWbnB0NL7PEqIqsnQhrUvzJfh-ywxQBNwvXDczmhavVpuroh1KKM22mfWnvEElewm6ld3-G32ZgKhshKktLXlI/s320/Breakingdawn+uhq1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I mean, it's got that slow, luscious wedding scene. Let's face it, we are wedding crazy in this country, and we got this fairy-tale wedding, completely tucked away in the forest with dripping flowers and a to-die-for dress. There were no bridezilla's, there were a few requisite funny/awkward family and friends moments, but it was pretty much perfect. <br />
<br />
And then we got to go on the honeymoon and there was so much screen time devoted to the naked/semi-naked newlyweds getting it on or wanting badly to get it on! So much naked kissing! Where other movies would do one maybe quick sex scene, this movie draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaws iiiiiiiiiit ooooooooooooooout. I don't even know what to say about all that skin shown except: well, at least the actors are of age now!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTFAI-P3h392Z8j_Jbc7wfO0m85FT5bgdquuljg9-5VkHLhAxUBn7CPAup1rVwuL3IXdiWoJjiwufiqwdJGJ7QpJEjNmAvb-aDOoE3XC3PTR6IFC7iLxDhSiXwNwwSyMKH4_nroPOjArd/s1600/breaking+dawn+breaking-dawn-part-1-online.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTFAI-P3h392Z8j_Jbc7wfO0m85FT5bgdquuljg9-5VkHLhAxUBn7CPAup1rVwuL3IXdiWoJjiwufiqwdJGJ7QpJEjNmAvb-aDOoE3XC3PTR6IFC7iLxDhSiXwNwwSyMKH4_nroPOjArd/s320/breaking+dawn+breaking-dawn-part-1-online.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And then there was Baby Plot, which I guess you can consider a metaphor for real life Hard Times as a Newlywed. Bella looks perfectly creepy as she gets more and more skeletal. I loved the gore of the birth scene too, but there was one moment in particular that really caught me and made me tear up. It's right after Edward hears the baby's thoughts (which should not be that coherent at this point, but I digress), and anyway, we finally get to see the tender bonding moment of them being a family together.<br />
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I couldn't find the exact still I was thinking of, but the scene starts here:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBTJwTGibzf5le6jL9AzvYae2z2dXFgJAEb565_F-Mbk8-e0D3NKn_1BXElgg_cSu8KuvHOOnyajaxrNzDwtRFub1PRSB_VZiQ3-ANCb30bb1_O5YvhpvXO_oO3GDimgmSFqZFuYZoxvo/s1600/breaking+dawn+edward+hears+baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBTJwTGibzf5le6jL9AzvYae2z2dXFgJAEb565_F-Mbk8-e0D3NKn_1BXElgg_cSu8KuvHOOnyajaxrNzDwtRFub1PRSB_VZiQ3-ANCb30bb1_O5YvhpvXO_oO3GDimgmSFqZFuYZoxvo/s320/breaking+dawn+edward+hears+baby.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then eventually they are snuggling on the couch together and finally laughing again for the first time since their honeymoon and I thought: ahhhhh, finally they get to enjoy each other. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So as I mentioned earlier, I've been married ten years. And there have been some ups and wicked downs, but in the end, having a partner in life and being able to laugh together with a person who knows you pretty completely is downright magical. It doesn't matter when you meet, what matters is the long haul together. So today I'm raising my glass to toast LOVE---something you don't just get to grasp hold of one day when you're wearing a pretty white dress, but the everyday magic of having someone to hold, for long as you both shall live.</div><br />
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo6qkbxsayUeqli-a7XIAJ-KqkQYmve1RAumea22qHt0gxsNMc9Tma83tLFbX5vtiU79SCcYzgRjKYirkzwQHJCfb8bvyOvgoDykwaStaebRrUcfzrwObgkd_g2WnxIjE3UP3RsPegI74/s1600/meauthor+photo+1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" closure_uid_5nawsy="5" closure_uid_7dmkge="3" closure_uid_bx81ld="4" closure_uid_gcpwif="4" closure_uid_occbkq="10" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo6qkbxsayUeqli-a7XIAJ-KqkQYmve1RAumea22qHt0gxsNMc9Tma83tLFbX5vtiU79SCcYzgRjKYirkzwQHJCfb8bvyOvgoDykwaStaebRrUcfzrwObgkd_g2WnxIjE3UP3RsPegI74/s1600/meauthor+photo+1.jpg" /></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>Heather Anastasiu</b> is the author of GLITCH (St. Martin's Press/Summer 2012) Glitch in three words: Dystopia, Superpowers, & Love :) Check out </span></span><a href="http://www.heatheranastasiu.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">my website</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> for more news and updates. </span></span></span>Heather Anastasiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14974838585457441140noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-77481979000717798902012-02-12T09:30:00.000-08:002012-02-12T09:30:01.322-08:00All About Romance I'm a romantic at heart, which means I love any excuse to celebrate romance and watch romantic movies. Valentine's Day, and the whole month of February really, is a perfect excuse.<br />
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So in honor of Valentine's Day and because each of these scenes inspired me when I was writing <i>Unraveling</i>, here are my top five <b>best romantic scenes</b>.<br />
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5. The Stadium Serenade in <i>10 Things I Hate About You</i> <br />
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Adapted from Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" this teen movie came out when I was in high school and was one of my absolute favorites.<br />
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Heath Ledger's character, Patrick Verona, serenades Kat Stratford (Julie Stiles), singing "I Love You Baby" on the steps of their high school's stadium while she and the girls' soccer team are on the field.<br />
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He risks getting in trouble and he embarrasses himself, which make this romantic gestures all that more swoonworthy.<br />
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4. On the prow of the <i>Titanic</i><br />
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I can't lie. I was one of those people that saw this movie more than once in theaters. I actually saw it <b>6 times</b> and then I bought the DVD when it came out. (I also owned the soundtrack and listened to it constantly).<br />
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And my favorite scene is when <strike>Leo and Kate</strike>, I mean Jack and Rose share their passionate kiss on the prow of the ship with the world flowing by under their feet.<br />
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It's of course, even <i>more</i> romantic, because as an audience we know their romance is doomed because the boat is going to sink, but for that moment, it's like they're the only two people in the world and nothing else matters. And I can't help swoon at that.<br />
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3. That Scene in the Library in <i>Atonement</i><br />
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I'll watch just about anything with James McAvoy in it, but when his character, Robbie Turner kisses Cecila Tallis (Keira Knightley) in the library after a lot of angst over the letter he sent to her by accident, it's amazing.<br />
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(He meant to write something sweet and he did, but in his frustration when trying to think of the right words, he also wrote something pretty crass and of course <i>that</i>'s the one that made it into her hands. It's also that letter that got him in a lot of trouble.)<br />
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2. Starcrossed Lovers Reunite in <i>Casablanca</i><br />
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This is, in my opinion, one of the most romantic <i>and heartbreaking</i> scenes ever captured on film.<br />
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Set during World War II, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman play star crossed lovers who reunite, only she's married! And they still can't be together.<br />
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This is one of those movies that is so perfect in black and white, and the ending makes me cry every time.<br />
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Anyone who hasn't seen this one, should.<br />
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1. Love at First Sight in <i>Romeo + Juliet</i><br />
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This was another one of my favorite movies from when I was younger. When I was in the theater and Leo first came on screen as the tortured and love sick Romeo, the audience let out a collective sigh.<br />
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Romeo first spies Juliet (Claire Danes) at the party her parents are throwing, which of course Romeo and his friends are crashing. They see each other through the tropical fish tank and fall madly in love.<br />
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One of the best things about this scene is that there are no words, just Romeo, Juliet, the fish, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7eH9qnH8TM">Des'ree singing "I'm Kissing You</a>." <br />
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I don't love the whole movie. Some of the Shakespearean dialogue mixed with the modern day time period doesn't totally work for me now. But this scene is amazing.<br />
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Those are my top five. Which good ones did I miss? What are some of yours?<br />
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***<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBNAp_kSLbfKL-bdsTfXAM1sRJRdV788IHzmFCjLd6EQSW4h565DM53oeNIDlIwMq5jJDpII5u4wNLgxLJMFUnWxvpQUQeEzyBJK8fIIElV6tcPAsCx9TH6GcE_exRry0OeSByFnO_AZT/s1600/liznorris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBNAp_kSLbfKL-bdsTfXAM1sRJRdV788IHzmFCjLd6EQSW4h565DM53oeNIDlIwMq5jJDpII5u4wNLgxLJMFUnWxvpQUQeEzyBJK8fIIElV6tcPAsCx9TH6GcE_exRry0OeSByFnO_AZT/s1600/liznorris.jpg" /></a></div>
Liz Norris briefly taught high school
English and history before trading the southern California beaches and
sunshine for Manhattan's recent snowpocalyptic winter. She harbors
dangerous addictions to guacamole, red velvet cupcakes, sushi, and Argo
Tea, fortunately not all together. Her first novel, UNRAVELING
(Balzer+Bray April 2012), is the story of one girl’s fight to save her
family, her world, and the one boy she never saw coming.</div>
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<a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/liz_norris">twitter</a> * <a href="http://liznorris.blogspot.com/">website/blog</a> * <a href="http://liznorris24.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a></div>elizabeth norrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05864234263010675357noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-43828442048659812362012-02-10T05:09:00.000-08:002012-02-10T05:42:46.947-08:00Cover Reveal, Video Marketing & Catching Up!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOwdxBVKpwvogQM5-9IFATiV2prwjn3PIcD-UmAU0Kr3ZZHUY6ZNJSqzYR928RgI7DnvVTYX9XltBJQQfxAOz4KwsTmn9KIoAJENtqapvB6sTHtlaxW9wIt258vT9Ts7f0UbUtKiETCOt/s1600/-3.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 202px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOwdxBVKpwvogQM5-9IFATiV2prwjn3PIcD-UmAU0Kr3ZZHUY6ZNJSqzYR928RgI7DnvVTYX9XltBJQQfxAOz4KwsTmn9KIoAJENtqapvB6sTHtlaxW9wIt258vT9Ts7f0UbUtKiETCOt/s320/-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707495552398942354" border="0" /></a> <style>@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1</style><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-US">OK lots of catching up to do, peeps. January was hectic. I received my cover… big drum roll. Dadaaah.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">A</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">nd Faber (my publisher) launched a competition</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;"> to find a teenage British actress to play one of the characters from my book in a set of online video diaries. Totally exciting! The video diaries will be a prequel to my book, The Glimpse, and focus on Tamsin Strike, my main character’s missing BF. In a series of 25 bite-sized episodes, the videos reveal the weeks leading up to Tamsin’s disappearance and will be laced with clues about what really happened. (But you won’t ev</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">er really know until you read the book!) Teenage girls from all over the UK are currently uploading their auditions to The Glimpse facebook page. Another great distraction for me. So much talent! I love watching those auditions.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">You can see the auditions and find out what's happening with the video diaries <a href="http://www.facebook.com/theglimpse">here</a><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">Other news: I went through crisis mode on book 2 of The Glimpse Duet a few weeks ago, totally pulled apart my first draft and restructured. With only a couple of months until I have to hand it in, needless to say I was freaking out. That’s what comes from a planner thinking maybe she was a panster. Back on track though and all is going well again.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">What about you? What was your January like?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="georgia"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28bTBZLwuCuuUhja6-icAdynfH1Te-5KUp_psXdUB-mqBzztsSc5v6jDNVnLtB5xfdnLXDZkyrfmcI1rElpys4J5Nn1Ttl0P6R2HkaFO6RUfbHYoXvuCpASobdxhGjy1A3iabtb6NACvE/s1600/IMG_397.jpg.opt422x316o0%252C0s422x316-1.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28bTBZLwuCuuUhja6-icAdynfH1Te-5KUp_psXdUB-mqBzztsSc5v6jDNVnLtB5xfdnLXDZkyrfmcI1rElpys4J5Nn1Ttl0P6R2HkaFO6RUfbHYoXvuCpASobdxhGjy1A3iabtb6NACvE/s320/IMG_397.jpg.opt422x316o0%252C0s422x316-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707497249139032178" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">Claire Merle, YA author.</span></p><p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">Go to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/theglimpse">The Glimpse</a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/theglimpse">facebook</a> page</span></p><p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">Add the Glimpse to <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12367267-the-glimpse">goodreads</a><br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Claire Merlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07566685720094646776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-24319837796371036072012-02-06T11:50:00.000-08:002012-02-06T11:52:47.934-08:00How To Trick Yourself Into Writing, Even When You Don't Feel Like It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5xjIqEw2sWkXEhli-Jqm2uGIQbZ6nuX5Y6Uwvruc1wLYHhVAzZzqbOaLB1PtYGTajvIQtKFU2d4qpY9IMeSOCRSJa1WpAj163rm4Qop0s1FZOSid2cNxhLeVWfgeYzixru5Pej5wwZ95/s1600/writers-block-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5xjIqEw2sWkXEhli-Jqm2uGIQbZ6nuX5Y6Uwvruc1wLYHhVAzZzqbOaLB1PtYGTajvIQtKFU2d4qpY9IMeSOCRSJa1WpAj163rm4Qop0s1FZOSid2cNxhLeVWfgeYzixru5Pej5wwZ95/s200/writers-block-1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So lots of writers will tell you the hardest part of being a writer, in spite of all the craziness of marketing and self-promoting and all that, is actually <em>writing</em>. Sitting down with the blank page and the little cursor on your Word document winking like it's mocking you.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This weekend I hit a giant wall of resistance. I had to drag out every trick in the book this weekend and then invent a few new ones to get myself writing again. So here, for your viewing pleasure, are a few Magical Tips Against Resistance.</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>1. I'll start off with the oldie but the goodie.</strong> It's the one that I continue to find extremely helpful: Butt In Chair. Just start typing, no matter how you feel, no matter if you feel like the most uninspired piece of crap that ever tried to write a novel. Just. Do. It.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>2. Make up a treat for yourself to use as a reward for hitting your word count. </strong>This is really the trick I probably use the most. Natalie Goldberg suggests chocolate, but I wasn't in a chocolate mood this weekend, so I promised myself a new haircut. I hit word-count, and got to chop off some hair that had begun to look alarmingly like a mullet. Hitting word count + no more mullet = double win.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>3. Get out of the house.</strong> Go write at a coffeeshop or cafe. There's nothing like making an Event of writing time to encourage you to actually do it and not just eat the day away by staring at Twitter or Facebook.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>4. Write at unusual times.</strong> Or, in my case this weekend, drink wine, try to go to sleep, and when you can't, get up at 3am and write 800 words. There's no stress because it's the middle of the night and you don't really expect to write so there's no pressure to actually produce, and then anything you DO manage to produce is just extras, gravy on top. Which frees you to actually write! Changing it up can throw off those patterns of stress we create for ourselves. Sometimes going against routine is the best way to get the juices flowing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>5. And now to completely counteract the previous statement</strong> because everyone loves a good contradiction, routine can be a good thing! If you have a routine where you get up, drink your cup of coffee, and start writing, the actual writing sometimes comes more easily. It's not like a giant tug of war of will-I-or-won't-I-write-today. When it becomes something you just <em>do</em>, it can be easier to produce steady word count.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>6. Do not let yourself get on the internet</strong> until you have met word count goals. Okay, I cheat on this one, but I've heard it works well for people. I tend to write three or four paragraphs, check Twitter, go back and write a few more, Twitter again, and usually somewhere in there I get usually caught up enough in the writing that I finish a scene. And then I check Twitter ;)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>7. Write first thing in the morning.</strong> I haven't tried this one lately, but I've been thinking about giving it a go again, because it's true: if you get your word count out first thing, then you don't spend all day worrying about if you'll get it done or not!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>8. Arrange to get together with another writing friend</strong>, not to talk, but to WRITE! I can't always get out of my house, but I've found the internet equivalent of this sometimes with #wordwars on Twitter. They've been wicked helpful on getting out word count on days when I'm not feeling it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>9. When you DO manage to hit your word count, try writing another hundred words or two before you stop.</strong> You're already in the groove, it's easier to keep going than stop and gear up again the next day. This little trick has really added up for me in the past. There's less stress for me once I've already hit word count knowing I can stop any time, it helps on other days when I can't quite make it, and it makes my novel overall come out a little bit faster.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">That's all I've got for now. What are some of the tricks you use when you hit resistance?</span><br />
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo6qkbxsayUeqli-a7XIAJ-KqkQYmve1RAumea22qHt0gxsNMc9Tma83tLFbX5vtiU79SCcYzgRjKYirkzwQHJCfb8bvyOvgoDykwaStaebRrUcfzrwObgkd_g2WnxIjE3UP3RsPegI74/s1600/meauthor+photo+1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" closure_uid_5nawsy="5" closure_uid_7dmkge="3" closure_uid_bx81ld="4" closure_uid_occbkq="10" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo6qkbxsayUeqli-a7XIAJ-KqkQYmve1RAumea22qHt0gxsNMc9Tma83tLFbX5vtiU79SCcYzgRjKYirkzwQHJCfb8bvyOvgoDykwaStaebRrUcfzrwObgkd_g2WnxIjE3UP3RsPegI74/s1600/meauthor+photo+1.jpg" /></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>Heather Anastasiu</b> is the author of GLITCH (St. Martin's Press/Summer 2012) Glitch in three words: Dystopia, Superpowers, & Love :) Check out </span></span><a href="http://www.heatheranastasiu.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">my website</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> for more news and updates. </span></span></span>Heather Anastasiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14974838585457441140noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-28502414985989116882012-01-25T09:53:00.000-08:002012-01-25T09:53:53.544-08:00New Year's Resolutions: The Power of Positive thinking.<style>
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<a href="http://brandreadymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/positive-thinking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://brandreadymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/positive-thinking.jpg" /></a></div>
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It’s the new year and so a lot of people are thinking about
those resolutions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I don’t. I
haven’t made a resolution in several years actually. Now that’s not to say I
don’t have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">goals </i>for the upcoming
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do. But I’ve always felt
that resolutions are too easily tossed aside, but goals aren’t so easily
forgotten. At least to me.</div>
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For the past couple of years, my goals were publishing
related.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Write 2 novels. Get an
agent. Get a publishing contract, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But this year on top of writing goals, I have another one that’s
probably more important than any of those other ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s to be more positive.</div>
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I’ve always been a person who ended up seeing that glass as
half-full, which does have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">some</i>
benefits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such as almost never
being disappointed. If you always expect the worse, than when good things
happen, it’s a surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s
not where I want to be anymore. It’s entirely too stressful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus it makes my DH angry when I’m
always pessimistic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LOL.</div>
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So my goal is to try to remain positive. No matter
what.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If something bad happens, I
try to look at the plus side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s generally at least one!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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But it hasn’t been easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like fate knows my goal and is throwing everything she
can at me to see if I can do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But one of my favorite qualities about myself is my stubbornness (although
I doubt my DH would agree it’s a quality. LOL.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and I’m not going to give up on myself until it’s no longer
a struggle to be a more positive person and to see the rainbow through the
rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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So, QFU, what’s one of your goals/resolutions for the year?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdl1Nb3q67CcVPWuhUUjpi8l1VCmcEwfDp2t-ovEBmd-JGiastSkLJIYKnVnqfqrM8tPjcloBeehnTVQTSI2WXd5dNze5zXhcebeb3-wIp4866gOyEimioFRkbuaUxeefck6s5dB9eR1o/s200/IMG_0038.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdl1Nb3q67CcVPWuhUUjpi8l1VCmcEwfDp2t-ovEBmd-JGiastSkLJIYKnVnqfqrM8tPjcloBeehnTVQTSI2WXd5dNze5zXhcebeb3-wIp4866gOyEimioFRkbuaUxeefck6s5dB9eR1o/s200/IMG_0038.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">J.A. Souders is the author of
RENEGADE a YA dystopian that takes place in an underwater utopian
society, coming Fall 2012 from Tor Teen. For more information visit her
<a href="http://www.jasouders.blogspot.com/">blog</a> or website.<span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>J.A. Soudershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460557430817566294noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-3939731101783692212012-01-23T22:06:00.000-08:002012-01-23T22:09:54.792-08:00My New Year Resolution; or, Adventures in Mindfulness<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Like most everyone else, I spent a bit of time at the beginning of the year writing resolutions, and this year, one of them was/is </span>to be more mindful of my writing work, and that includes noticing how I feel when I write. Maybe that sounds a bit strange, but...I get stuck. A lot. Painfully stuck, and once stuck, it’s really hard for me to get unstuck, because sometimes I don’t even know I’m stuck. I just keep trying to do what I’m doing, and as a result, get nowhere fast. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So: goal one: admit the stucked-ness.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Because what I do know is that when I get writing-stuck, there’s a reason for it, and that leaves me with a couple of choices. I can doggedly continue what I’m doing, or I can take a step back, suss out the situation, and then decide whether to forge ahead or change course.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">That sounded easy enough when it was an intellectual exercise, but last night, I had to put it into play. I’ve been working on a story that’s very dear to my heart. I wrote the first draft of it about a year ago and then let it sit for a while, because that’s what I do, and recently decided it was time to get it into submission-shape. Thus beg</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">an paring and peeling away all the dirty bits as I tried to turn it into something shiny and beautiful.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It’s been hard going. Really, really hard going, and last night, I realized I was stuck. I didn’t know how to go forward, and the essence of the story, what made it what it was, was getting lost as I tried to shoehorn it into something it wasn’t. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And so, there I was: stuck in stucked-ness and faced with a choice. I could keep on doing what I was doing. Or, I could change directions. I decided to feel each option out, and, low and behold, one of them felt right: change direction. I can always come back to the place where I got stuck if I need to (what did we do in the days before we could save multiple drafts of our work?), but, staying stuck doesn’t get me anywhere except more stuck, and that’s not any fun at all.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So, off I go in a different direction, one that feels truer to the story already. Who knows where it will go from here, but so far, this mindful thing is paying off! </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItiG61TL83XvlQT4n-iRvaXDGzz6TfzNqiVwxXZeue63t7I7vmicJr-D0zjPuSricMupbubjxRFDKnYu1QlGndjPo9jnK2bzhwcjn9vJkpF60IB3UC_ZduvOYfc-DCrR-_IpVjO_9gZs/s200/Headshot.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701076602883142402" /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Catherine Knutsson is the author of SHADOWS CAST BY STARS, to be published June 2012 by Atheneum/Simon & Schuster. She lives on Vancouver Island and divides her time between writing, riding horses, and wandering the wilds. To learn more, visit her at <a href="http://www.catherineknutsson.com">www.catherineknutsson.com</a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></div>catknutssonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04561730715282275059noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-32641407419309778762012-01-22T23:00:00.000-08:002012-01-22T23:00:12.568-08:00Heather's Simple New Year's Resolution<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">I’m a little late chiming in on my resolutions this year, but I still have felt like this January was a new beginning for me in a lot of ways. Stuff was intense last year, and the New Year seemed to me a sign of hope and good things.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My life is very quiet and small right now, like a winter day. Some of the slowness is being physically enforced since my chronic illness has relapsed and I spend most of my day in bed. But, like Natalie Goldberg’s teacher once told her: “if you go deep enough in writing, it will take you everyplace.” </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I recently read an article where NYT bestselling author Laura Hillenbrand said something similar. She has the same condition as I do, and in the interview she talked about how writing was a way to escape the stillness and confines of her body, to vicariously experience life and freedom through the subjects she writes about. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So my resolution is simple this year: enjoy writing as a gift, and find out what new places it can take me.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Link to the interview with Laura Hillenbrand, if you’re interested: <a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/04/an-author-escapes-from-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/">here</a>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Heather Anastasiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14974838585457441140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-57314460826573527232012-01-22T07:16:00.000-08:002012-01-22T07:57:52.385-08:00Brand Spanking NewLast night I started my new book. After working on the same two novels for the last few years I have been looking forward to working on something new. But with that feeling of excitement comes a whole lot of fear. I don't actually remember what it feels like to start at the beginning. I've been revising and copy editing for so long that the idea of starting from nothing kind of freaked me out.<br />There is nothing more terrifying than a blank document.<br />I wondered if I would actually be able to do it. Could I manage to put words down on the paper that would make sense? Would those words eventually become a story? And with those words would I make a connection?<br />But today I'm happy to report that I made it to chapter two. Two thousand words and ten pages later and the story is all around me. My head is overwhelmed with ideas. Just like that, I'm back to writing. Now I'm not a planner. I rarely know what's going to happen before I get there. And I love that. I love the surprises that pop up, the characters who continuously catch me off guard. And last night while I was writing, this new world took shape and began to spin around me faster than I could get it down.<br />But I have to say, if not for music, I would still be staring at that blank document.<br /><br />I hope you enjoy.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FWlIEBPKl7M" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehR4L_Wa5lsDxKv7x8m31WASMdkUB6_r3Z0NmR6i4hIuKzEK5x9K9DXMljrcIxiUuKiCH0rGTw5vekCSPX-RzcLzotLNkMK87k3s3-4ysCc8Vj2Yaeni9HT6-swtUsJ7T2vxMUvOUXcQ/s1600/shari_arnold_01.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehR4L_Wa5lsDxKv7x8m31WASMdkUB6_r3Z0NmR6i4hIuKzEK5x9K9DXMljrcIxiUuKiCH0rGTw5vekCSPX-RzcLzotLNkMK87k3s3-4ysCc8Vj2Yaeni9HT6-swtUsJ7T2vxMUvOUXcQ/s200/shari_arnold_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640430767745683362" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8c-mMGcvMWUa16N6wVkYP8xyTOUbB3NoVVIEs-aarocYbY71W0ZnOqJtMDPt6OBxl-BWFB59fa1tta8OTR9Fi0VdGmbq1yNaJ_Yu25-l5OCjjhE-sVNUp_IkP4FjEUfScC5bZPHUwnLc/s1600/shari_arnold_01.jpg"><br /></a><br /><br />Shari Arnold is the author of <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10193927-mystique">MYSTIQUE</a> coming Fall 2012 from Chronicle Books. Check out her <a href="http://shariarnold.blogspot.com/">blog</a> or follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/ShariLArnold">Twitter</a>.Shari Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15393609010526562080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-50063311302656579742012-01-12T04:45:00.001-08:002012-01-12T04:46:02.801-08:00Resolutions --- The Boring Health Ones<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s that time of year again when I start reflecting on all
the things I didn’t accomplish the year before, and for me, it usually has
something to do with my health. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I’ve never been a health nut. I wish I was, but I was raised
in a house where there was always junk food and pop (or soda, for other parts
of the country) around. I got hooked on pop at a young age. I think I try to
quit drinking it at least twice a year. Inevitably I go back and it seems
harder now that I’m constantly under deadline. It never seems like the right
time to quit!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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But that’s a lame excuse, isn’t it? <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve heard over and over again that a writer needs to take
care of themselves for their writing’s sake. And you know, I’m starting to
believe that. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How can our brains function properly---churning out
beautiful prose, relatable characters---when our bodies are running on
Cheez-its and a three-day marathon of chair sitting?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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So my New Year’s resolution is, YES, predictably, boringly,
health-related. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I think my writing (and in the long run, my readers)
will benefit from it. So here, in bold type, for all the world to see, are my
resolutions (I can’t believe I’m posting these here, which means I will really
really really have to do them unless I want to be a liar and a failure):<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>1. Quit drinking so much crap (to clarify, I mean my crack,
AKA Mountain Dew)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>2. Run a 5K (OMGGGG this one is scary, as I’ve never been a
runner, but I want to be)</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s it. Those are the biggest, but the basic-est. Kinda
cut and dry. I will have to report in 2013 (provided that whole Mayan thing is
a hoax) as to whether or not a) I stuck with my resolutions and b) they helped
my writing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1owxCQsLuRfJQxIOGq2z4ft7X_urZzNUUof03mojKPnOvVjDqCrQ4HXFHBBcYh_les6P_y4HW6itwMXaLADeok9CY0tnU_9FUwKydeVD1uKTPT_biGgRsRAakgMxrF6-ZsA_P7GtqXjmY/s1600/8006952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1owxCQsLuRfJQxIOGq2z4ft7X_urZzNUUof03mojKPnOvVjDqCrQ4HXFHBBcYh_les6P_y4HW6itwMXaLADeok9CY0tnU_9FUwKydeVD1uKTPT_biGgRsRAakgMxrF6-ZsA_P7GtqXjmY/s1600/8006952.jpg" /></a>Happy New Year, ya’ll.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Jennifer Rush is the author of ALTERED coming Fall 2012 from Little, Brown. Check out her </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://jennrush.blogspot.com/" style="color: #4a4a4a; text-decoration: none;">blog</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> for news and updates.</span>Jenn Rushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01134171215051580507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-73631711455700913692012-01-08T23:42:00.000-08:002012-01-08T23:42:09.091-08:00Heather Anastasiu's GLITCH Cover Reveal and Trailer!I'm so excited to be able to officially reveal Glitch's cover and trailer!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNDnMkR95rh7omSf37TIZwZKfkT0Z8lfY0_Sv_1_GBxs1kg58ykAFseren8-JxiWXnFWItfhZLFc-gYE7Rprkxu_woCnmRk0nlgFFALEvFrEUS0PXrZ2bxtSWziVD35IDVk2vOIXZgrBr/s1600/Glitch+Heather+Anastasiu+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNDnMkR95rh7omSf37TIZwZKfkT0Z8lfY0_Sv_1_GBxs1kg58ykAFseren8-JxiWXnFWItfhZLFc-gYE7Rprkxu_woCnmRk0nlgFFALEvFrEUS0PXrZ2bxtSWziVD35IDVk2vOIXZgrBr/s400/Glitch+Heather+Anastasiu+for+blog.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And the trailer! Click on the YouTube version on the </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">bottom right of the screen if you want to see it larger!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4pDC5HOvDs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Want to know more?<br />
<ul><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10535458-glitch"><span style="color: blue;">Add <em>Glitch</em> on Goodreads</span></a></div></li>
<span style="color: blue;"> </span>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glitch-Heather-Anastasiu/dp/1250002990/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326075575&sr=8-1"><span style="color: blue;"><em>Glitch</em> on Amazon.com</span></a></div></li>
<span style="color: blue;"> </span>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/HeatherAnastasiu"><span style="color: blue;">Facebook page for news and updates</span></a></div></li>
<span style="color: blue;"> </span>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.heatheranastasiu.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Heather's website</span></a></div></li>
<span style="color: blue;"> </span>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/h_anastasiu"><span style="color: blue;">Heather on Twitter</span></a></div></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">----</span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo6qkbxsayUeqli-a7XIAJ-KqkQYmve1RAumea22qHt0gxsNMc9Tma83tLFbX5vtiU79SCcYzgRjKYirkzwQHJCfb8bvyOvgoDykwaStaebRrUcfzrwObgkd_g2WnxIjE3UP3RsPegI74/s1600/meauthor+photo+1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" closure_uid_5nawsy="5" closure_uid_7dmkge="3" closure_uid_occbkq="10" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo6qkbxsayUeqli-a7XIAJ-KqkQYmve1RAumea22qHt0gxsNMc9Tma83tLFbX5vtiU79SCcYzgRjKYirkzwQHJCfb8bvyOvgoDykwaStaebRrUcfzrwObgkd_g2WnxIjE3UP3RsPegI74/s1600/meauthor+photo+1.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>Heather Anastasiu</b> is the author of GLITCH (St. Martin's Press/Summer 2012) Glitch in three words: Dystopia, Superpowers, & Love :) Check out </span><a href="http://www.heatheranastasiu.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">my website</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> for more news and updates. </span></span>Heather Anastasiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14974838585457441140noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-27804391445166874782012-01-04T10:01:00.000-08:002012-01-04T10:01:05.421-08:00Writing Through Writer's Block<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal">We all have those days when the right words don’t seem to want to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">During the Teen Author Carnival in NYC in May 2011, I moderated the debut author panel. I asked the panel for their strategies to combat writer’s block, and this post would no doubt be better if I recalled their answers.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What I do remember is sharing a story about how I got through my own bout of writer’s block while writing LEVEL 2.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I had been writing for 12 hours a day for weeks, trying to finish my first draft by deadline and I was mentally exhausted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was working on a scene towards the end of the book where the main character (Felicia) is having an argument with another major character (Julian).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But everything I tried to write just seemed wrong. I was stuck.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I share an office with my husband who works as a freelance illustrator, and he was working on some project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He swore. I asked him what was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me he was stuck too, and then I made a brilliant suggestion:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would draw something for him and he would write the next paragraph of my manuscript.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So we traded places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did an amazingly crappy line drawing, and Daniel dutifully typed up a paragraph.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">His paragraph was … interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was out of character, written in the wrong tense and POV, and didn’t make sense in the context of the characters’ relationship or the scene. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Somehow, reading his oh so wrong paragraph made me see all the things I was doing well in my manuscript and gave me the energy and inspiration to push through and find the right words. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oBFbMhvLjFQ/TwSTYFFuxVI/AAAAAAAADy4/K4YG2ZSZ0is/s1600/Lenore_Appelhans_loewres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oBFbMhvLjFQ/TwSTYFFuxVI/AAAAAAAADy4/K4YG2ZSZ0is/s200/Lenore_Appelhans_loewres.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Lenore Appelhans is the author of LEVEL TWO (Simon & Schuster BFYR/Fall 2012), a dystopian afterlife thriller. Visit her <a href="http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/">blog</a> and/or follow her on <a href="http://twitter.com/lenoreva">twitter</a>.</div><!--EndFragment-->Lenore Appelhanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16664671644163369772noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-35227891775333573522012-01-03T07:58:00.000-08:002012-01-03T08:08:34.155-08:00Resolutions and Expectations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
It's 2012! Finally! I know at least <a href="http://apocalypsies.blogspot.com/">150 or so people</a> who are completely ecstatic about that. ;)<br />
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I've never been big into making New Year's resolutions...maybe because I don't think it requires a whole fresh new year to make changes in your life/meet your goals, etc. Any day of the year will do. Set a goal, and don't make compromises with yourself. Don't wait for January 1st to get started.<br />
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Certain goals are harder to set than others--especially in publishing. For example, I don't recommend deciding that you will get an agent by X date. Don't tell yourself that your book will be on store shelves and snatched up by thousands of fans by a certain year.<br />
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What you DO have control over is when you can reasonably finish a first draft. How long it will take you to get feedback and revise. When you will be able to <i>submit</i> your work to agents...because after the manuscript leaves your hands, the timing of events is out of your control. No amount of resolving or determination is going to get you a book deal, let alone a certain release date, after that. It's up to the quality of your work and the tastes of agents and editors.<br />
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If you can't tell, I speak from experience in this post. In 2006, when I first became serious about my writing, I had all kinds of lofty ideas about how things would work. I would finish my first draft and submit it to agents, then I would immediately land a book deal, the novel would come out within the following year, and I'd be a millionaire or something as soon as it hit the shelves.<br />
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*pause for laughs*<br />
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Six years later, I'm thrilled my book IS coming out this year--an entirely different book than the one I was writing in 2006--one that was critiqued to death by my CPs before an agent ever saw it. And when release day finally comes (November 20th!), it will have been almost two years since it sold.<br />
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Do I have expectations/resolutions for how it will sell? Let's just say I have cautious hopes and dreams...but zero expectations. My goals/passion have taken me this far. Once it is printed and in the hands of readers, the fate of the book is even MORE out of my hands. I hope people like it! But only time will tell, so in the meantime...I have some goals I <i>can</i> meet for my second book. :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7z-X1BwSKB6gCGf0o37WAJZFvhU1yyRJL_lkde_kSaBEAbJOs1PP7BuZa_i4aeq5FIIstzpfpPomGXvQ2sm03ULx5tUKYqG-xTWgVVqZl-P7EdX9Ry99IeU2CN3ETv_gooNoiinKk8vU/s1600/Hainsworth_EmilySmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7z-X1BwSKB6gCGf0o37WAJZFvhU1yyRJL_lkde_kSaBEAbJOs1PP7BuZa_i4aeq5FIIstzpfpPomGXvQ2sm03ULx5tUKYqG-xTWgVVqZl-P7EdX9Ry99IeU2CN3ETv_gooNoiinKk8vU/s200/Hainsworth_EmilySmall.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">__</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Emily </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Hainsworth is the author of THROUGH TO YOU, (Fall 2012 Balzer+Bray / HarperCollins), </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">a s</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">ci-fi novel about a seventeen-year-old boy </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">grieving for his dead girlfriend until he discovers she's still alive in a parallel reality--one where many things are different from the way they are back home. For more information, visit her </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.emilyhainsworth.com/" style="color: #0a0000; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3333ff;">website</span></a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">.</span></span>Emily Hainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06123957029915467761noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-885846319879579992012-01-01T09:30:00.000-08:002012-01-01T09:30:01.005-08:002012 Resolutions1. Write More<br />
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And by <i>more</i>, I mean more consistently. I always do my best writing when I'm on some kind of streak--when I've been writing ever day for a week straight. When I take days off because of TV, life, or whatever else comes up, it's harder for me to get back into it. If I can make time every day, even if it's just for an hour, a half hour, or even 15 minutes, I'll feel better.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDtfqdFyZEBkbhHO48RZ9iFGU4HGrCRJhcjIS9XpNEWi0x7ywLmhybzLAiS4Agkwq71A6CVe9xYHp43SAeZVzYeg2XbKvvZy5viz4iQaAW9s4dS4p6EJNeIk9Saxp-Lbv1MquA-Wt0qQ/s400/Starbucks+Iced+Constantine+Coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDtfqdFyZEBkbhHO48RZ9iFGU4HGrCRJhcjIS9XpNEWi0x7ywLmhybzLAiS4Agkwq71A6CVe9xYHp43SAeZVzYeg2XbKvvZy5viz4iQaAW9s4dS4p6EJNeIk9Saxp-Lbv1MquA-Wt0qQ/s200/Starbucks+Iced+Constantine+Coffee.jpg" width="200" /></a>2. Drink More Tea and Less Coffee</div>
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I've been a little heavy on the caffeine this year, and I know I won't be able to cut it out completely--I'm just not that strong, but I'm thinking that if I cut it down a little, maybe a passion tea instead of a mocha latte, I'm be a little less wired.<br />
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3. Get Eight Hours of Sleep<br />
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I'm not going to make the resolution that says to "go to bed early" because I know that will never last. I am going to admit to myself that I need a solid eight hours of sleep to avoid getting sick or sitting at my desk and fighting to stay awake in the middle of the day.</div>
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I'm also determined to stress less. I'm not going to say I won't stress at all (that would be a total lie), and I'm not even going to say that I won't stress about things not in my control (also a total lie), but every time I'm feeling tense, I'm going to try to take deep breaths and remember <i>this too shall pass.</i></div>
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Liz Norris briefly taught high school English and history before trading the southern California beaches and sunshine for Manhattan's recent snowpocalyptic winter. She harbors dangerous addictions to guacamole, red velvet cupcakes, sushi, and Argo Tea, fortunately not all together. Her first novel, UNRAVELING (Balzer+Bray April 2012), is the story of one girl’s fight to save her family, her world, and the one boy she never saw coming.</div>
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<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/liz_norris">twitter</a> * <a href="http://liznorris.blogspot.com/">website/blog</a> * <a href="http://liznorris24.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a></div>elizabeth norrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05864234263010675357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-51257161825459978662011-12-30T15:59:00.000-08:002011-12-30T15:59:24.451-08:00Veronica Rossi's UNDER THE NEVER SKYTee hee! Look what I found early on bookshelves today, our own Veronica Rossi's <em>Under The Never Sky</em>, out in the wilds of a Minneapolis B&N, a few days before it's official release next week!<br />
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<span lang="EN-US">Elizabeth Norris:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I'm just started reading CITY OF </span><st1:city><st1:place><span lang="EN-US">FALLEN ANGELS</span></st1:place></st1:city><span lang="EN-US"> by
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<span lang="EN-US">Susanne Winnacker</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I started ABOVE by fellow 2012 debut author
Leah Bobet yesterday and I’m really enjoying it so far. A magical read!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Kristen Simmons</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I just started Name of the Stars by Maureen
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<span lang="EN-US">Merry Christmas!</span></div>Susanne Winnackerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07931371784917865242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-64130572050257343822011-12-18T06:28:00.000-08:002011-12-18T07:15:38.017-08:00The Top Five Best Freaking Books of 2011!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTcbyCLORv84tzn4lz_k4Kyhyphenhyphenxftepk9nt76h05ggsGDBGIloEyPAOSO_N3kJ57M_vrUhMEZbQox1G41Wfzv_auGEMfhMt-3biOHt9mw3a_3bPdwID4peY_l5-YJY2vRw8ALV6uGGuFo/s1600/tree"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTcbyCLORv84tzn4lz_k4Kyhyphenhyphenxftepk9nt76h05ggsGDBGIloEyPAOSO_N3kJ57M_vrUhMEZbQox1G41Wfzv_auGEMfhMt-3biOHt9mw3a_3bPdwID4peY_l5-YJY2vRw8ALV6uGGuFo/s200/tree" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687477498045836370" border="0" /></a><br />Yesterday I spent the day strolling about NYC doing the holiday thing with my family. And when I say "strolling" I mean pushing my way through the crowds. One giant tree in Rockefeller Center sure does get a whole lot of attention!<br /><br />So now that 2011 is almost over and 2012 is JUST A FEW WEEKS AWAY!!! I thought I'd put together my list of THE TOP FIVE BEST FREAKING BOOKS I READ THIS YEAR!<br /><br />Some of these books may have come out in 2010 but I read them this year so... ahem, here we go:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32flbKNJ5dXvSC7N1PxgW5HIQn-ZP_zSWObRTIK4evYSGCOVQVNWqiM_aC5Xx4tSuBQ3PqMYENVcvt6vgTGVT_5I0pAV40Uy8v_gAooxVoPBp3mBm1Hh0Gxoiz-Gc3dLrnmt9QJVGJic/s1600/SMOKE-BONE_240.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32flbKNJ5dXvSC7N1PxgW5HIQn-ZP_zSWObRTIK4evYSGCOVQVNWqiM_aC5Xx4tSuBQ3PqMYENVcvt6vgTGVT_5I0pAV40Uy8v_gAooxVoPBp3mBm1Hh0Gxoiz-Gc3dLrnmt9QJVGJic/s200/SMOKE-BONE_240.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687480900478504258" border="0" /></a><br />1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor<br />Best book EVER! Seriously. So romantic and so beautifully written. I LOVED this book. I can't wait for the next one.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDnSA6plBYZdYXtKtz8sUkxaLyVPa-8nn5t602deiBxLM96OtM7NY7lQAvDV7lumD_vfQ_4KUVwS5gaCOpMw2cvCYSwdam-ymHYzrkzpTbc1OLV7Wspd5MyBl_WhglA8n4Dz58iRtxm4/s1600/myer+dyer"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDnSA6plBYZdYXtKtz8sUkxaLyVPa-8nn5t602deiBxLM96OtM7NY7lQAvDV7lumD_vfQ_4KUVwS5gaCOpMw2cvCYSwdam-ymHYzrkzpTbc1OLV7Wspd5MyBl_WhglA8n4Dz58iRtxm4/s200/myer+dyer" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687481228735791234" border="0" /></a><br />2. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin<br /><br />I wish I wrote this book. It's the kind of book I have to read over and over again. I LOVED IT! The writing is awesome, the chemistry between Noah and Mara is electric and the book kept me guessing until, well, I'm still not sure what is going on...<br />But I will be the first in line when book two comes out. I'm such a fan.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNoJTPHCbXQ2siMteWLtz4421f899dT8lxeHEKybvWN5lZi7znuz7XZc00nhrhDOervvNH2v21KOUxI9MdzN13XozLz4rVDRgq4aPXDfBDt2pmI4wVf5VnImuU5aHwzf7o7MsE5mZ56HU/s1600/revolution"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNoJTPHCbXQ2siMteWLtz4421f899dT8lxeHEKybvWN5lZi7znuz7XZc00nhrhDOervvNH2v21KOUxI9MdzN13XozLz4rVDRgq4aPXDfBDt2pmI4wVf5VnImuU5aHwzf7o7MsE5mZ56HU/s200/revolution" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687481425905028754" border="0" /></a><br />3. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly<br /><br />Wow. This book. I don't actually know what to say about this one. It made me cry, it stayed with me long after I'd finished it and many many times while reading it, I had to put it down just to take a moment to appreciate the writing or emotion Jennifer Donnelly was able to capture through her words.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniVotUYcjhRb7QtF8cO8onA74HG0OEv2_SE9du8A-o3OEwfYIfCYp3Q52oIbG2RO9ZNQ10bjThJnfEYoHBqJkHEKI4FpCzGjWkfhE20SrP9Qnu_mujN-7gqGOOY1DjKEZrHyYbPXiK0w/s1600/anna"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniVotUYcjhRb7QtF8cO8onA74HG0OEv2_SE9du8A-o3OEwfYIfCYp3Q52oIbG2RO9ZNQ10bjThJnfEYoHBqJkHEKI4FpCzGjWkfhE20SrP9Qnu_mujN-7gqGOOY1DjKEZrHyYbPXiK0w/s200/anna" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687482147999077538" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ed-TaPOzavZ8IdW_26VrOJOsStN4K-CyVWRLCt4-MFzAEiOWKZX0spSU-koPn37htXOkmS-b07d2Bp5WHPHCfpE40lZO3y-eqoBoZc3UPUWP1JQtaPcfxG6xP-oycslnc8e9iSni91c/s1600/lola"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ed-TaPOzavZ8IdW_26VrOJOsStN4K-CyVWRLCt4-MFzAEiOWKZX0spSU-koPn37htXOkmS-b07d2Bp5WHPHCfpE40lZO3y-eqoBoZc3UPUWP1JQtaPcfxG6xP-oycslnc8e9iSni91c/s200/lola" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687482926912479890" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCn8KOs_BtgoQfrWSaryt1bYXQIkrykyBxtBfY4lGqxmFXJ48OZjk2eWXCdyVDJAn1QhXAiTEmEGlvUwsMbgoT7U2WNzhuzueY-H9gmvFNnNGdiWJ-9oOkAA8XV4W2rhvIl_94aGe9k-0/s1600/lola"><br /></a>4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins<br />5. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins<br /><br />These books make me happy. The characters are so real I miss them once I'm done reading the book. I could read these two over and over again. That is, I already have.Shari Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15393609010526562080noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-16882178570842075402011-12-16T03:43:00.000-08:002011-12-16T03:43:08.108-08:00Friday Reads!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Heather
Anastasiu<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US">I'm reading Lauren Kate's Passion. I
enjoyed the previous two books in this series and I'm excited about the premise
of this one--getting to see first hand how Luce and Daniel fell in love in their
past lives.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">Elizabeth Norris</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US">I'm continuing my Cassandra Clare kick and
reading CLOCKWORK ANGEL this week. I love the steampunk elements and all of the
little hints of what's to come in this world. I'm so addicted to the book!</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">Jay Kristoff</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US">Just started Scott Westerfeld's BEHEMOTH. I
loved LEVIATHAN, so really looking forward to getting into the second
installment.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">Emily Hainsworth</span></div>
<span lang="EN-US">I finally picked up THE FUTURE OF US by Jay
Asher and Carolyn Mackler. Having been an AOL-using teenager in the 90s
*cough*, the premise really intrigues me. Can't wait to experience the online mashup!</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">Lenore Appelhans</span></div>
<span lang="EN-US">I just finished Megan Miranda's FRACTURE.
Don't go into this expecting an epic paranormal tale - it's not. Instead, it's
a deeply touching look at relationships and what's important in life. Delaney
and Decker have been friends & neighbors forever, and they've been skating
around their romantic feelings for each other. Then, Delaney falls into an icy
lake and it takes Decker 11 minutes to pull her out. That she survives is a miracle
- but will she survive long enough to get her priorities in order? What would
any of us do if we had only one day to live? Why aren't we doing it?</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><strong>What are you reading this week?</strong></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />Susanne Winnackerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07931371784917865242noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-54899930026835795292011-12-15T07:55:00.000-08:002011-12-15T08:02:41.055-08:00Top 3 Reads of 2011One of my favorite Year End posts is a wrap-up of what I've read and loved. So I am excited about our topic this week!<br />
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Compared to a lot of other writers, I am a sloooooow reader, so I've only read 36 books so far this year. I wish it was more (and so does my TBR pile, which is getting close to taking over my life), but writing uses a lot of my energy, and sometimes I have none left for other words.<br />
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Here are my top 3 reads this year (so far).<br />
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So many people were talking about <i>Anna Dressed in Blood</i>, I decided to take a look. I downloaded a sample on my Kindle and was immediately hooked by Cas's voice.<br />
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He reminded me a little bit of the Winchester brothers from <i>Supernatural</i>, or Cas from Holly Black's <i>White Cat</i>.<br />
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I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this trilogy.<br />
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I had the privilege of reading this book way back in September when I won an ARC in a contest. I'd heard a lot of talk about it, but I was a little burnt out on the dystopian genre, so I didn't have high expectations.<br />
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But whoa did I fall for this book. Day and June were distinct enough that I didn't need to read the chapter headings in order to know who was narrating. I loved how infamous Day was in the Republic, but how, beneath all that, he was just a kid taking care of his family.<br />
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I highly recommend <i>Legend</i>. Even if you think you've read enough dystopian, read this one. Just one more!<br />
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I emailed my agent a week or so ago asking (begging) her for a copy of <i>Shadow & Bone</i>. Last year we sent an ARC of <i>Divergent</i> around and I was hoping (HOPING!) she'd allow us to do the same with S&B. And she obliged!<br />
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The day I got this book in the mail, I started reading. And from page one, I was hooked.<br />
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Leigh knows how to craft credible relationships in so few pages. Immediately you are invested in Alina's relationship with Mal. You are rooting for them from the first chapter. And don't even get me started on the Darkling. Ladies will be swooning. SWOONING. But he's such a mysterious, complex character, you won't know whether to love him, or fear him.<br />
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Unfortunately, <i>Shadow & Bone</i> doesn't release till next year, but trust me when I tell you, it'll be worth the wait. Buy it as soon as you can, clear your schedule, and dive in. You won't be disappointed.<br />
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(P.S. I apologize to those who commented on my last post---the ALTERED playlist---for not immediately responding. I am planning to post the full playlist on my own blog tomorrow!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8c97RhxgNsjb5SS8jN07WmQfJjoQ_zqAe302xVv9G1cintT7UYNt7rrFDdQwYu6xzEHeqKr4_ezkgxxx8WLnBi_NNotBxi3YwSWRjKkdNPvBT9ByNUn8qe_PburfK-1MnpEIwfUIiOnze/s1600/8006952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8c97RhxgNsjb5SS8jN07WmQfJjoQ_zqAe302xVv9G1cintT7UYNt7rrFDdQwYu6xzEHeqKr4_ezkgxxx8WLnBi_NNotBxi3YwSWRjKkdNPvBT9ByNUn8qe_PburfK-1MnpEIwfUIiOnze/s1600/8006952.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Jennifer Rush is the author of ALTERED coming Fall 2012 from Little, Brown. Check out her </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://jennrush.blogspot.com/" style="color: #4a4a4a; text-decoration: none;">blog</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> for news and updates.</span>Jenn Rushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01134171215051580507noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-82341494803207701752011-12-13T00:00:00.000-08:002011-12-13T00:00:01.955-08:00A Year in Books - 2011I had to give this some thought and go through my Audible.com and Goodreads accounts, but I finally compiled a list of books I read in 2011. I think it's safe to say I loved/enjoyed most of them, and when it came time to try to pick favorites...I didn't think it was fair. So, in no particular order, here are the books I read in 2011, with links to their descriptions. I'd love to hear which of these YOU'VE read and enjoyed!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9464733-beauty-queens">BEAUTY QUEENS</a> by Libba Bray<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7656231-a-need-so-beautiful">A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL</a> by Suzanne Young<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1931915.Bruiser">BRUISER</a> by Neal Shusterman<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8603765-imaginary-girls">IMAGINARY GIRLS</a> by Nova Ren Suma<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12043771-this-is-not-a-test">THIS IS NOT A TEST</a> by Courtney Summers*<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9758765-wildefire">WILDEFIRE</a> by Karsten Knight<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11115457-time-between-us">TIME BETWEEN US</a> by Tamara Ireland Stone*<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5231173-twenty-boy-summer">TWENTY BOY SUMMER</a> by Sarah Ockler<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7507908-the-replacement">THE REPLACEMENT</a> by Brenna Yovanoff<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5129.Brave_New_World">BRAVE NEW WORLD</a> by Aldous Huxley<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/375802.Ender_s_Game">ENDER'S GAME</a> by Orson Scott Card<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4932435-finnikin-of-the-rock">FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK</a> by Melina Marchetta<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7536810-accomplice">ACCOMPLICE</a> by Eireann Corrigan<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7747374-i-am-number-four">I AM NUMBER FOUR</a> by Pittacus Lore<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8591107-the-unbecoming-of-mara-dyer">THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER</a> by Michelle Hodkin<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6261522-the-body-finder">THE BODY FINDER</a> by Kimberly Derting<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6604794-the-sky-is-everywhere">THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE</a> by Jandy Nelson<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7686667-delirium">DELIRIUM</a> by Lauren Oliver<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/267972.Wait_Till_Helen_Comes">WAIT TILL HELEN COMES</a> by Mary Downing Hahn<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6609758-numbers">NUMBERS</a> by Rachel Ward<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8009223-the-beginner-s-guide-to-living">THE BEGINNERS GUIDE TO LIVING</a> by Lia Hills<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5495243-rampant">RAMPANT</a> by Diana Peterfreund<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8492825-where-she-went">WHERE SHE WENT</a> by Gayle Forman<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11564.The_Girl_Who_Loved_Tom_Gordon">THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON</a> by Stephen King<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8235178-across-the-universe">ACROSS THE UNIVERSE</a> by Beth Revis<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7664345-the-mermaid-s-mirror">THE MERMAID'S MIRROR</a> by L.K. Madigan<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6364657-bleeding-violet">BLEEDING VIOLET</a> by Dia Reeves<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7095831-ship-breaker">SHIP BREAKER</a> by Paolo Bacigalupi<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8306857-divergent">DIVERGENT</a> by Veronica Roth<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5297.The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gray">THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GREY</a> by Oscar Wilde<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/688191.Everlost">EVERLOST</a> by Neal Shusterman<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7719245-paranormalcy">PARANORMALCY</a> by Kiersten White<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6665671-please-ignore-vera-dietz">PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ</a> by A.S. King<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/270730.Crank">CRANK</a> by Ellen Hopkins<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7011735-the-unidentified">THE UNIDENTIFIED</a> by Rae Mariz<br />
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* = titles to be released in 2012<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a0000; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Emily </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Hainsworth is the author of THROUGH TO YOU, (Fall 2012 Balzer+Bray / HarperCollins), </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">a s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">ci-fi novel about a seventeen-year-old boy </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">grieving for his dead girlfriend until he discovers she's still alive in a parallel reality--one where many things are different from the way they are back home. For more information, visit her </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.emilyhainsworth.com/" style="color: #0a0000; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3333ff;">website</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">.</span><br />
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<br />Emily Hainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06123957029915467761noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-13398944948568165082011-12-12T00:58:00.000-08:002011-12-12T01:12:19.869-08:00A Little Romanian Saying<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There is a saying in Romanian which goes: <em>incetu cu incetu, invitsum alfabetul</em>. Translation: little by little, we learn the alphabet. It’s a little of the same idea as, ‘one day at a time,’ or, ‘one foot in front of the other.’ </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It’s a saying that’s meant a lot to me over the years, and this week again runs through my head whenever I get scared by deadlines, or mistakes I’ve made, or dealing with hard things. Incetul cu incetul, I whisper in my head. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In writing and in life, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the big picture. There can be so many things to worry about! Will I finish this last round of edits, is my book turning out right, oh god oh god, this is my last chance to change something on it, I hope I don’t crap it up! Oh no, I've spent too much time editing this page, and there are three hundred and eleven to go. What if people don’t like my book and I never sell another? How do I deal with fallout from other Life Stuff I’ve messed up? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Worries, shockingly, tend to focus on the negative. It’s never wondering about roses and buttercups that keep me up at night. It’s the fears that start cinching in around my chest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So I whisper: incetu cu incetu. I breathe in and out. I count my breaths as a way to distance myself from all my worries and gain some control. The worries rise up and I say to them: incetu cu incetu. Focus on what you can do right now in the present, trust that things will be okay, and let go of the rest. When times are tough, sometimes it’s the only way to stay sane :)</span><br />
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo6qkbxsayUeqli-a7XIAJ-KqkQYmve1RAumea22qHt0gxsNMc9Tma83tLFbX5vtiU79SCcYzgRjKYirkzwQHJCfb8bvyOvgoDykwaStaebRrUcfzrwObgkd_g2WnxIjE3UP3RsPegI74/s1600/meauthor+photo+1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" closure_uid_7dmkge="3" closure_uid_occbkq="10" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo6qkbxsayUeqli-a7XIAJ-KqkQYmve1RAumea22qHt0gxsNMc9Tma83tLFbX5vtiU79SCcYzgRjKYirkzwQHJCfb8bvyOvgoDykwaStaebRrUcfzrwObgkd_g2WnxIjE3UP3RsPegI74/s1600/meauthor+photo+1.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>Heather Anastasiu</b> is the author of GLITCH (St. Martin's Press/Summer 2012) Glitch in three words: Dystopia, Superpowers, & Love :) Check out </span><a href="http://www.heatheranastasiu.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">my website</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> for more news and updates. </span></span>Heather Anastasiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14974838585457441140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-48636568302537744312011-12-08T07:55:00.000-08:002011-12-08T07:55:00.143-08:00Beauty and the BeastMaybe Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale because it's about seeing deeper than the surface of someone. Or maybe because the story is so rich with symbolism. Or maybe because I just love romances that start off as friendships and grow <i>deeper</i>.<div><br /></div><div>Like lots of little girls, I loved Disney's Beauty and the Beast. I watched the heck out of it. Later, I had a brief fascination with Phantom of the Opera. (Okay, still do, if we're being honest, even though it's quite different from the fairy tale.) And then I (finally) discovered BEAUTY and ROSE DAUGHTER by Robin McKinley, which are both retellings of Beauty and the Beast -- and they're <i>very</i> different from each other! It wasn't long before I discovered East of the Sun, West of the Moon and how similar it is to Beauty and the Beast. So I ended up with books like SUN AND MOON, ICE AND SNOW by Jessica Day George, and EAST by Edith Pattou, and I've got ICE by Sarah Beth Durst on my shelf waiting for its turn.</div><div><br /></div><div>I haven't read all the Beauty and the Beast retellings out there (and likely haven't heard of even most of them); I try to space them out for when I need a fix of a new one. I'm very glad it's such a popular story, though, because the moment when Beauty (or whatever she happens to be going by in that incarnation of the story) realizes that Beast (or whatever he happens to be going by in that incarnation of the story) is not just a beast, but a <i>person</i> who she's grown to love -- oh yes. I love that part so much. I could (and do) read it again and again. </div><div><br /></div><div>*swoony sigh*<br /><br /><div><div>--<br /><div><div><br /></div><div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRz_F4ELS6JZbdYnmT-5P-5Ih1OqqJFQpE7dzeoiykTYDtiZGiCqJHPwSAjF5o4zTzBDkSNMLpGqYt9ibSK_PnyTyHCP7cPwY7YiMd1j2dGrzhozyrvEeWvndK6Xd4Ccgjww60t2oTBQcl/s200/11Meadows-not+large.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635904383460656834" /></div><div>Jodi Meadows is the author of INCARNATE. (January 31, 2012 - HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books.)</div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>She lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a Kippy*, and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict, and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut. You can find her on her <a href="http://www.jodimeadows.com/">website</a> and <a href="http://jmeadows.livejournal.com/">blog</a>. </div><div><br />*A Kippy is a cat. </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-55764906743766899522011-12-07T06:47:00.000-08:002011-12-07T07:08:27.090-08:00Sleeping Beauty and it's many incarnations<style>
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My absolute favorite fairytale character is Sleeping
Beauty. My favorite movie for the
longest was the Disney version. When I was a child I’d watch that and Beauty
and the Beast over and over again until the tape wore out.</div>
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I knew the lines by heart. The songs AND the actual dialogue. When I was cleaning or playing by myself, I would dance
around like Aurora does in the beginning where the owl is pretending to be her
Prince and I’d just pretend I was her. I adored her. </div>
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When my friends (both boys and girls) were over, I’d make
them play Sleeping Beauty with me and truth be told, that’s PROBABLY how I got
my first kiss, but since I was like 6, I’m not sure it counts. LOL. </div>
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Of course, I grew up and stopped watching and pretended I
had no clue what people were talking about when they would talk about my
obsession. </div>
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But still when
my daughter was born, I don’t think anyone was all that surprised when I named
her Aurora. (But honestly, it was because of the Northern lights—Aurora Borealis—not the princess, because I never even really knew her name was
Aurora. Until then I thought her name was Briar Rose, and I hadn’t watched it
since I was just a little girl, but now she’ll always be my little Sleeping
Beauty—even though she doesn’t really ever sleep. ) </div>
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But now <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she’s</i> into
it like I was. Probably more so because it’s her name and she LOVES her
name. It’s really sweet when she
sees something with Princess Aurora on it and she points to herself and goes,
“That’s me. I’m Princess Aurora!”</div>
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But anyway, I’m not as in love with the Disney version as I
was when I was little. I’ve grown up and I really don’t like how they portrayed
her. My absolute favorite is a
more recent re-telling and that’s Alex Flinn’s A KISS IN TIME. </div>
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It’s perfect for the romantic in us, but also doesn’t
portray Aurora (Talia) as this weak female who needs rescuing from her
prince. It was the perfect mix for
me. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJzWLwDShd63weB0S3AxB0KVbewHoTbIobZ_cqSBoZhQSRVU1souPUsa0k254XWIET9P3ureOL9fdnTy0SJhL2TBKfoAmXwTd0pvlxo3uMJpUbiRbcHt1I8TpNw_NixYSTnPeD5uR1fN_/s1600/A+Long+Long+Sleep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJzWLwDShd63weB0S3AxB0KVbewHoTbIobZ_cqSBoZhQSRVU1souPUsa0k254XWIET9P3ureOL9fdnTy0SJhL2TBKfoAmXwTd0pvlxo3uMJpUbiRbcHt1I8TpNw_NixYSTnPeD5uR1fN_/s200/A+Long+Long+Sleep.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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I also really enjoyed A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan. It's the best of both worlds. My favorite genre (science fiction) and my favorite fairy tale.</div>
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And then, another of my favorite authors, Kendare Blake,
wrote a <a href="http://darkfaerietales.com/fantastic-fables-kendare-blake-sleeping-beauty.html">short story</a> revolving around the fairy tale and I love it!<br />
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ETA: check out<a href="http://bravenewwordsdebut.blogspot.com/2011/12/fairy-tales.html"> Jay's post</a> from yesterday to see what the ORIGINAL story behind Sleeping Beauty was. I think I may have to change what my favorite fairy tale is now. :P</div>
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It’s amazing how many different ways
something can be seen. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdl1Nb3q67CcVPWuhUUjpi8l1VCmcEwfDp2t-ovEBmd-JGiastSkLJIYKnVnqfqrM8tPjcloBeehnTVQTSI2WXd5dNze5zXhcebeb3-wIp4866gOyEimioFRkbuaUxeefck6s5dB9eR1o/s200/IMG_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdl1Nb3q67CcVPWuhUUjpi8l1VCmcEwfDp2t-ovEBmd-JGiastSkLJIYKnVnqfqrM8tPjcloBeehnTVQTSI2WXd5dNze5zXhcebeb3-wIp4866gOyEimioFRkbuaUxeefck6s5dB9eR1o/s200/IMG_0038.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>J.A. Souders is the author of
RENEGADE a YA dystopian that takes place in an underwater utopian
society, coming Fall 2012 from Tor Teen. For more information visit her
<a href="http://www.jasouders.blogspot.com/">blog</a> or <a href="http://www.jasouders.com/">website.</a></i></span> </div>
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<br /></div>J.A. Soudershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460557430817566294noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-52539725900983993372011-12-06T15:27:00.001-08:002011-12-06T15:53:02.852-08:00Fairy Tales<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So we're talking about fairy tales this week. Back in the day, before the interwebs or television or even
printed reading matter, people still told stories for entertainment. But the
tales told to children were also meant to impart the rules of civilized society.
Parents essentially created ‘fairy stories’ to teach their kids that most golden of golden rules – <b>Don’t Be A D*ck.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Modern versions of these fairy tales have
been sanitized in the hope of ‘sparing children’ the morbid nature of the
originals. But the truth is, in their attempts to make these stories ‘acceptable’ for
children, a lot of the time, folks have actually made them<i> far </i>more screwed up than the originals.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, here’s my Top 5 Fairy Tales with their original endings,
the lessons they were originally trying to impart, and the newly ‘sanitized’
moral. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Goldilocks and the Three Bears</b> – Goldilocks finds a house in
the woods. She breaks in, ruins the furniture, eats the food and then, being a
particularly resourceful burglar, decides to have a quick nap. The house
belongs to three bears, who come home, discover the
thief and get understandably upset. In the modern version, Goldilocks wakes up
and flees out the window. In the original? She gets nom-nom’ed by the bears. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>New moral:</b> Breaking and entering is totes cool;
just make sure you have a decent escape route planned if the owners come home
early.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Original moral:</b> Don’t break into people’s houses or you’ll
be eaten by frackin’ bears.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>The Pied Piper</b> – The town of Hamlin is plagued by rats. A
minstrel with mad skillz rolls up to the mayor and says “I can deal with your rat
problem in exchange for hard currency, chief.” Mayor says “I am totally down
with that.” The piper busts out the pipes, and leads the rat horde to a nearby river where they all drown. The piper rolls back to the mayor
and says “Pay up, big man.” Mayor says “Lol n00b, you already killed all the
rats, we don’t need to pay you jack.” Piper says “Aight, if that’s the game you
wanna play, playa.” The Piper busts out the pipes again, but entrances the
village children instead. In the modern version, he seals them inside a cave
until the mayor agrees to pony up the agreed sum. The piper then returns the
kids. In the original? The piper leads the kids to the river, just like he did
with the rats, and lets them all drown. BAM. (except for one little boy, who
was lame and couldn’t keep up)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>New moral:</b> Don’t pay your contractors until they’ve
conducted punitive action. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Original moral:</b> Pay what you owe or the kids get it (and
sometimes, being physically challenged ain’t so bad)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Little Red Riding Hood</b> – A girl is on her way to her
Granny’s. She stops to ask directions from a wolf. Like you do. In the original
version, the wolf sends her on a roundabout journey, runs to Granny’s house,
eats Granny, dresses in her nighty, then eats Red when she arrives. BUT!!! A
kindly woodsman happens along, chops the beastie open with his trusty axe and
pulls out Granny and Red whole and hale from his belly. In the original
version? Red stops to asks the wolf directions and the wolf straight up eats
her. No Granny. No woodsman. Just one fat happy carnivore and a very dead
little girl.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>New moral: </b>Be as stupid as you like – there will always be a
man with an axe around to save you. Oh, and also, being devoured by wolves is
totally non-fatal.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Original moral: </b>Don’t talk to strangers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>The Little Mermaid</b> – A mermaid falls in love with a handsome
Prince. In the Disney version, Arial goes through many trials and tentacled
tribulations, finally becoming human and marrying the man of her dreams (who
she doesn’t even know). In the original? She falls hopelessly in love, watches
the Prince marry a human Princess and, offered the choice between murdering the
Prince or suicide, she ends herself in despair.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>New moral:</b> Changing everything you are and giving up
everyone you know to attain the affections of a dude you don’t even know is perfectly okay, especially if he’s rich. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Original moral:</b> Wishing too hard for something you can never
have will destroy you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Sleeping Beauty</b> – A beautiful princess is cursed to sleep
forever by an evil witch. In the original, a handsome prince happens along and
spies the beautiful girl fast asleep, kisses her lips and wakes her up. They
live happily ever after, and it never occurs to Sleeping Beauty to front her
man about his habit of molesting sleeping women he finds while out on his
Sunday rides. In the original? The handsome prince, not being content with
simple smooches, stone cold rapes her. Nine months later, she gives birth
(still asleep) and one her babies suckling on her finger breaks the curse. She
wakes up to find herself the violated mum of two kids. Presumably a big ‘WTF’
moment in her life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>New moral: </b>Just lie back and snooze, my dear. The Prince
will be along to violate/rescue you momentarily.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Original moral: </b>I have NO IDEA what this one was trying to
say. Don’t fall asleep around royalty?<o:p></o:p></div>
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So which versions teach better lessons? The original dark a
depressing ones? Or the newly sanitized ones?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jay Kristoff</span> is the author of STORMDANCER, a dystopian fantasy set in steampunk feudal Japan, out in Spring 2012 through St Martin's Press & Tor UK.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Bloggery and Tweeting <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/misterkristoff" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">here </a>and <a href="http://misterkristoff.wordpress.com/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">here</a>.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<br />Jay Kristoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17659991232115081044noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010051416690365465.post-59787249407591051142011-12-04T07:18:00.000-08:002011-12-04T08:38:11.193-08:00MusicBefore I have a title or an ending or even a name for my main character I begin with the mood. It kinda hits me out of nowhere, almost like I'm right there in the scene. I live with this feeling for a period of time, listening to music and brainstorming the story, until it all comes together.<br /><br />For Mystique I needed something dark. I wanted the music to evoke a feeling of winter and dead trees and loneliness but there also had to be a touch of hope thrown in.<br /><br />So. Here's what I found:<br /><br />Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago<br />Jónsi - Go<br />Radiohead - The King Of Limbs<br />Local Natives - Gorilla Manor<br />Cloud Cult - Light Chasers<br /><br />Go check them out.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehR4L_Wa5lsDxKv7x8m31WASMdkUB6_r3Z0NmR6i4hIuKzEK5x9K9DXMljrcIxiUuKiCH0rGTw5vekCSPX-RzcLzotLNkMK87k3s3-4ysCc8Vj2Yaeni9HT6-swtUsJ7T2vxMUvOUXcQ/s1600/shari_arnold_01.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehR4L_Wa5lsDxKv7x8m31WASMdkUB6_r3Z0NmR6i4hIuKzEK5x9K9DXMljrcIxiUuKiCH0rGTw5vekCSPX-RzcLzotLNkMK87k3s3-4ysCc8Vj2Yaeni9HT6-swtUsJ7T2vxMUvOUXcQ/s200/shari_arnold_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640430767745683362" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8c-mMGcvMWUa16N6wVkYP8xyTOUbB3NoVVIEs-aarocYbY71W0ZnOqJtMDPt6OBxl-BWFB59fa1tta8OTR9Fi0VdGmbq1yNaJ_Yu25-l5OCjjhE-sVNUp_IkP4FjEUfScC5bZPHUwnLc/s1600/shari_arnold_01.jpg"><br /></a><br /><br />Shari Arnold is the author of <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10193927-mystique">MYSTIQUE</a> coming Fall 2012 from Chronicle Books. Check out her <a href="http://shariarnold.blogspot.com/">blog</a> or follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/ShariLArnold">Twitter</a>.Shari Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15393609010526562080noreply@blogger.com4