Great Book!

I've only just started reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, but so far it is excellent!  The writing is so fantastic and I can't wait to read more.  There will, of course, be more about this book later.  :)

Meh... Could've Been Better

I finally finished Charlie St. Cloud.  In all honesty it started slow and I had trouble diving into it at first.  While I was really searching for some easy brain candy to dive into for this Christmas break I think I was really looking for something that took me out of life for a while and a book that was impossible to put down.  That's not quite what I got out of this book... at first.  Yesterday, at work, I took the book with me and if I had time, I was going to read it.  Turns out I had a lot of time and it got to the point where I didn't want to put the book down.  I had to find out what was going to happen.  So, I must say the book was quite enjoyable and a good love story.  It was unique and original.  I don't think I've read anything else like it.
The biggest reason I had trouble getting into this book was because the author simply told the story he didn't show it.  I kept waiting to experience what the character was and it never really got there.  I liked the characters and the story, the writing just seemed to lack.  It started out great and interesting and then sort of died off.  During the climax the tension increased and I think that's really the reason the book was enjoyable to read.  If you are looking for a unique love story that you are able to walk away from on occasion, this is good brain candy for you.
Now, I think I need to go watch the movie!

I always knew dystopia was scary but...

This book was crazy!  I really don't know how Margaret Atwood imagined this one up, but it's certainly original.  Even though it was written about 20 years ago it still makes perfect sense today and actually still felt very modern.  The Handmaid's Tale is the story of a woman living in a world where everything has been changed.  She's one of the first generation in this society and therefore still knows how to read and write even though these things are forbidden for women.  In this world women are used specifically to replenish the earth.  Men are either in charge of a household of women dedicated to giving he and his wife a child or they are sent to the armed forces never to love a woman.  It's a society of duty.  Pleasure is essentially forbidden, but what happens when the people are smarter than government gives them credit for?

The story was not only original, but the writing was spectacular.  If the story doesn't draw you in the writing will.  Atwood writes the way the main character is really thinking and you, as the reader, can't help but picture everything she sees with brilliant clarity.  Disclaimer: Because this story is largely based on the fact that the main character is used only for her fertile organs, there are scenes that can be potentially disturbing to some readers.  They are not long, it's the exactness of the language that may be disturbing.

My advisor had a list of books to read for my writer's workshop class.  I had to choose one that was most like the style I read and write.  Because I work a lot with dystopia (the opposite of utopia, for those of you who don't know) this book was the one I wanted to read.  It really made me think a lot about the factors in an unstable society and it really made me think about my own writing.  I've found another author whose writing I can aspire to.

Torment

I finally got the chance to read Torment by Lauren Kate.  (it seems like I'm saying "finally got to read" a lot lately.)  It was pretty good and I'd say it was a worthy sequel of Fallen.  I dove right in and just read and read and enjoyed it the whole way through.  One thing that has always bothered me in books like these is the fact that the simple actions of honesty and forgiveness are sometimes the best way to solve a problem with someone you love.  That was really the only problem I had with this book is that the main character, Luce, is tormented by the fact that she doesn't know all the answers because the love of her life can't tell her.  She, like many other women and girls I know, has a tendency to blame everything on the man she loves instead of just trusting him and what he's doing.  However, that's the torment she feels and I can't blame her for how she feels.  She just does things different than I would... or hope that I would.  That aside, I still liked this book and if you are in the mood for an entertaining love story I recommend this series.  There were some very unique and original ideas that I thoroughly enjoyed in this book as well, but you're gonna have to read it to know what they are.

I Actually Finished It!

I've never been able to finish a Nicholas Sparks book before now.  They all are great stories but I feel that they've been translated better into film and therefore can't get myself to finish one of his books.  I got about halfway through the Notebook and a couple of chapters into Dear John.  Needless to say I was giving up on the ever sad tales of Nicholas Sparks.  Now I'm in a book club with some ladies in my neighborhood and guess what book was chosen as our second?  You guessed it (probably because of the picture) Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks.  I fully expected it to be difficult to finish like the others but I was trying to think of it as a great love story and find things useful to talk about at our next book club meeting.  Not only did I finish this one, but I didn't want to put it down!  It was so exciting!  While certain situations are not ones that I would ever wish upon anyone for any reason, it was told so well.  I don't always love the way he writes but this story is done very well and the characters seemed quite real to me, especially Katie.  This book was good and if you are looking for a love story with action that will get your heart racing, check this one out!

So Good

If you've looked at my blog at all you know that I thoroughly enjoy the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare.  When I found out that she was writing a prequel series (Infernal Devices) I was so excited.  The first book came out a couple of weeks ago and I have finally had the chance to read it!  It was every bit as good as the other series with some new twists and turns.  Not to mention some familiar characters.  This one, I believe, is still considered Urban Fantasy (don't ask me what the genre really entails because I couldn't tell you), but this one takes place in Victorian London.  This one also has just a teeny bit of Steampunk in it as well, but not too much.  I know many people may be put off by the words Fantasy and Steampunk, but really, these are good!  Now, I'm terribly excited for book two in this new prequel series.

Short Story

Here's little something I wrote last night for a writing exercise.

The Necklace

The necklace wasn’t expensive, but it was beautiful.  Sapphires ran the length of the necklace with the biggest being in the center.  Diamonds wrapped around each of the sapphires with rare delicacy.  How did I know it wasn’t expensive?  A trained eye could see that the stones were manufactured.  Still, anything was more than I could afford.  Because it belonged to her I knew that it was okay to borrow.  Right now she just didn’t know that I didn’t plan on returning it.

I heard something to my right and flipped around to see who it was.  I ducked a little just in case it was her.  Someone was definitely in the dark room with me.  Slinking around the dresser I tried to see who it was.  I tried to slow my breath and make it inaudible.  The moonlight cast a small white light across the wood floor and a large boot stepped into it.

“Clara?” A voice whispered through the silence.  I exhaled finally.   It was only Brian.

“Could you consider being a little more quiet?” I whispered back as I came out of my hiding spot.

“Sorry, it’s really dark in here.”  I could see the silhouette of his shrug and rolled my eyes.

Instead of arguing with him I crept back to the jewelry case and lifted the necklace.  I stared at it for a second watching it as it caught the moonlight.  It was cold as I slid it down the front of my shirt.  I could feel Brian looking around nervously.  Why couldn’t he just calm down.  Nerves don’t help in situations like these.  Emotion only leaves room for error.

“Alright, let’s get out of here,” I whispered as I turned and focused my gaze directly at the window.  I looked out and saw the road below was clear.  The window flew open without a sound.  Sitting on the sill I laced the claw around the lip, held the rope and jumped.  When I reached the bottom I stayed in my crouch and saw that no one was there to see.  I unlatched the claw and motioned for Brian to come down.

We reached the restaurant in good time.   The hostess eyed us suspiciously in our black attire.  “Grayson?” she asked.

I eyed her coldly before she decided to lead us up the stairs.  The room was dim and the walls were covered in expensive rugs.  The air was thick with smoke.  I cut into it after the hostess motioned to the man in the tailored gray suit.  Without fear of this powerful man before me, I sat down and crossed my legs slinging my arm over the back of the chair.

“This is a new look for you,” he said in his raspy baritone.  He motioned to my ensemble with his cigar.

“Hi, Daddy.”  I said it with a smirk.

“What’s he doing here?”  He waved his cigar and frowned at Brian who was now sitting in a chair behind me trying to avoid the conversation.

“I thought I might need some help,” I said looking down at my fingers tapping the table.

Daddy laughed before his stare fixed back on me.  “Did you get it?”

A confident smile crept across my face.  I pulled it out of my shirt and placed it on the table to display it for him.  He stared at it before reaching out to touch it.  I turned back to Brian when Daddy’s approval didn’t come right away.  Brian sat there, arms folded, slouching and gaze fixed on one of the rugs.

With his eyes still focused on the necklace he said, “Does your mother know?”  His cold gray eyes were all that moved when he looked at me.  I had the feeling his question meant more than I wanted it to.

I stared back for a second before answering.  “N --,”

“Yes.”  Brian cut me off.

My body went rigid.

“Mom found out yesterday and planted a fake, but Clara can tell you all about that.  Can’t you Sis?”  Brian was standing next to me now with the same cold gaze as my father.

“Clara,” Daddy’s said calmly, “you knowingly brought me a fake?”

There was nothing I could say that would fix this so I sat there, rigid and silent.

My father sat back in his chair and tapped his cigar letting the ash fall on the floor.  “Miranda, baby, can you come out here?” 

“No!”  I flew up out of my chair.  Just as quickly Brian seized my arms and pulled them behind my back.  I struggled but knew it was pointless.

Mama was shoved from behind a curtain on the opposite side of the room wearing the real necklace.  A metallic sound scraped across the table.  I didn’t have to look to know that it was a gun.  Brian let go of my arms.  I couldn’t move anyway.

Daddy blew out a puff of gray smoke.  “Get the necklace Sweetheart.”

A Novel of Letters

Today I finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  It took me a while to finish it because for some reason I wanted to move on to other things rather than keep reading.  This thinking doesn't really make sense to me because it was a rather enjoyable book.  It takes place just after WWII and the entire story is told through letters.  Now, I know what some of you may be thinking.  Oh great, a book written through letters.  Why do I want to read this?  Well, I guess you would want to read it because it surprisingly reads very much like a regular novel.  This is one that was quite enjoyable and I found myself grinning when it was finished.

Sadness

Since school started I haven't written anything.  It's not like I don't have any time to write it's just that I don't!  I really don't understand this.  I have the ideas for my novel and they keep germinating in my head but they just aren't coming out on paper.  Yesterday I couldn't resist the urge to write.  I was so in the mood to get this next scene down, confident in the new direction that I was taking.  Know what happened?  I only wrote a measly two paragraphs.  Just now I tried picking it up again and guess what.  One sentence.  I'm very confident in what's going to happen in this next scene and many of the scenes to follow and they just aren't coming out.  Right now my head is foggy, I have a dry cough and I want nothing more than a nap.  Maybe this is my problem.  I feel like crap so I write crap.  Who knows?  So, in hopes that more writing is soon to follow, I am posting a tiny little piece of my novel.  Un-edited, un-cut.

Everyone came rushing down the stairs, clearly hungry and more than ready to eat.  There were only six of us now.  There used to be more, but they’ve all graduated and been placed in their careers.  No more had come in for about three years.  Rylan and I were lucky to be placed in the same orphanage together.

Garrett being the loudest out of all of us bragged about how well he did on his exam today.  “So, guess who was the fastest one today.”  He said it with a smirk and looked around at all of us.  When his eyes reached Melissa, sitting next to me he pointed and said, “Melissa didn’t even know what hit her.”  She lifted her eyes just enough to glare at him.

They were in a class together.  “What exam did you guys have today?” I asked.  Every class had different exams on different days.

“Swimming,” he said leaning forward to taunt Melissa a little more.  She just continued to glare at him.  “Yeah, you were alright in the pool, but you didn’t stand a chance when it came to the lake.  Water to cold for ya Missy?”

Melissa just rolled her eyes and went back to nibbling on her roll.  She was a pretty good swimmer and I’d seen her beat Garret several times before. 

“Guess so,” he said smugly and leaned back on his chair chewing on a piece of chicken.

“Shut up, Garrett.”  Melissa had enough.  “You weren’t looking this confident when I found you sinking in the marsh.”

“Oh!”  Rylan finally chimed in.

Melissa now had a sneer on her face and taunted Garrett with it.  His smile was fading.  “I didn’t know you were such a cry-baby.”

The whole table erupted with laughter.  “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”  His face was starting to turn red.

Rylan was still laughing, “Did you have to pull him out?”

“Yep,” she said, “but only because I couldn’t concentrate to swim with him begging me like that to pull him out.”
            “I never begged you!”  His face was even redder now.

“Missy, Missy help me!  I can’t get out.  My legs are sinking.  Ah!  Missy hurry, I think there’s a snake trying to swim up my shorts,” she mocked and began to mimic his sobs.  “Missy!  Please!  Please get me out of here, this snake looks poisonous and hungry.”  She finally broke her mocking character and let out a simple little laugh before glaring at him again.

“That’s not what happened,” Garrett spit at her.

“Yes it is, why don’t you tell everyone how you got stuck in the marsh?”  She spit the words back at him.  “Or are you just going to let the results describe how you cheated?”

“I didn’t cheat!”

Another One Over

This weekend was dedicated to my reading of Mockingjay.  It really was fantastic and a great end to a great series.  I'm still a little (nay, quite) sad about a couple of characters.  I would love, love, love to talk about specifics, but I know there are those of you out there who wouldn't care to read any spoilers about it. So, I will talk about my love for  the series in general.  I don't know what else I can say other than, holy crap I LOVE the Hunger Games series!  Truly a very unique idea and one that has stuck with me over the course of two years.  I read the first book a few months after it came out two years ago.  Suzanne is a master of cliffhangers and I simply couldn't get enough.  My love for dystopian novels grew even more after reading this series.  I highly recommend it and hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.  Now I have to go read something else to get over my slump after finishing something that has been a part of my life for so long.  If any of you have the urge to discuss this series I would be more than happy to chat!  Happy reading!

Number 4

I couldn't put this book down.  I first heard about this book through Barnes & Noble (one of my dearest friends) while I was searching through the "coming soon" section.  The synopsis sounded like a book that I just absolutely had to have.  However, I still waited because cash flow is a bit on the low side and hardbacks are expensive.  Well, at least over time.  I kept thinking about this book and how much I though I would like to read it, and then I looked at the author.  As many of you probably know, I have a tendency to research every book I buy.  I don't want to invest in my own copy if it's not something I'll enjoy.  I found it very unfortunate that the author's parents would name him Pittacus Lore.  The more I thought about it, the more I realized it must be a pseudonym.  And what did I find out?  It is!  Not only is it a false name but the author is the person who wrote my books on how to write books.  That was the breaking point.  The next day I caved and bought the book.  From the very first page there was no disappointment to be had.  It kept me reading and it was seldom seen out of my hand (unless I was watching LOST).  If you are looking for an exciting young adult novel that has a new twist on superheroes pick this one up.

Life As We Knew It

Last night I finished Life As We Knew It.  And I must say it was pretty good.  The entire book is written through journal entries of the main character.  It think that's what made the book feel so real at times.  It almost felt like the story was happening to me instead of being fiction.  That could just be because in my sci-fi mind I'm always thinking of disasters in which I will have to live in a situation just like this one.  (Hopefully not as long.)  I would recommend picking this one up for a bit of entertaining reading.  While I'm not sure the actual catastrophe would actually ever happen, the stories about the people were excellent.

Resistance is Futile

I came out with this one too

This is the one I went in for

The other day I went into Barnes and Noble to pick up a book that I've been dying to read since I first heard about it through their website.  I walked through the door, gift card in my pocket and ready to make my purchase.  Of course I knew it wasn't going to be a quick trip like it should've been because my card only had $15 on it.  Enough to purchase one book.  But of course while I'm there I have to check out the other books for future purchase!  It's only logical that I scan all the books.  Well, as I walk through the door I notice that there is an older man sitting at a table with stacks of a book.  An author!  This doesn't happen very often.  What do I do?  I conveniently walk the other way.  For some reason I'm always hesitant to walk up to someone and discuss something that they've created.  My inferiority complex has always, always stopped me from getting to know people.  This man is a published author!  Of course I had a complex.  So I scanned the books on the other side of the store, found the book I came for, tried to catch the eye of a really cute guy scanning the books in the same section (yes, I said tried) and then moved on to the rest of the store.  All the while I'm sure I looked like an idiot because whenever I got close I was trying to see what the book was on the author's table to see if I knew him without him seeing me.  On top of it all I had this feeling that I should go talk to him and find out about his book.  If I were an author I would love it if someone came up to me and asked me about my book!  Even if they didn't buy it.  I walked up to the register and purchased the book I came for at 20% off!  I asked the girl at the register about the author at the table.  She said, "I think it's a biography or something like it.  He's really nice, you should go talk to him."  I knew that I should, but I was chicken.  In order to get out of the store I had to walk in front of his table.  He was handing out bookmarks that talked about his book.  He waved one at me and that's when I went over and talked to him.  I asked him to tell me about his book and he was, of course, more than happy to tell me about it.  He told me that he had the same dream three times where everyone asked him, "Have you finished it yet?"  "Finished what?" he asked.  It was a book that he was supposed to finish, and there it was sitting on his table.  He told me that he never planned to write a book, but he followed the inspiration of his dream and wrote the book.  How could I not support someone who followed a prompting?  So, $20 later I walked out of the store with an autographed copy of the book.  It's impossible to resist a creation after someone has told me about it.  As I was walking out, I noticed a woman setting up a table on the other side of the store.  A table of books.  I took one look at the cover, noticed it was something that I would probably like to read, and ran out of the store.  I couldn't afford to talk to another author!

Thank You Shannon!

Okay, so if any of you out there are writers I'm sure you have found yourself frustrated with those you love when you ask them to read your writing.  I know they mean well when they give criticism, but why is it that I find myself hurt when they do?  I mean, I asked for it!  Let me ask this, don't you find it just as hurtful and unhelpful when someone you love hands back your story and says, "yeah, it was good," and then they just continue on with life like your story meant nothing to them?  Well, it has the tendency to annoy me!  I want to know what they liked about it!  And if there was nothing good don't stand there and tell me that it was a piece of crap and then expect me to handle it well!  (not that anyone's ever said it quite that bluntly... well except for a journalism professor I had a couple of years ago, but that's another story.)  I stumbled on a blog post of one of my favorites today, Shannon Hale, and she had the perfect way of telling the loved one of a writer what to do and what not to do when asked to read a story.  I will be sharing it with my family because it explains a writer's need so well.  (Now I can only hope that they will read it and take it seriously.)  I hope you check it out!  You can click her name above for the link or you can click here.  Happy reading, writing and whatever else you do!

Inspiration

Today, I would like to give a shout out to the music that inspires us all.  If it weren't for the right song at just the right time I don't think I would get much of anything accomplished.  Few ideas would float into my head, I would have fewer triggers to remember a good moment, and I know I would not enjoy life to the fullest.  If it weren't for Paramore's song "Brick by Boring Brick," I don't know that I would've been able to write the piece of my story titled Butterfly Paints, because it reminded me of a childhood memory that suddenly was transformed into a story.  Kelly Clarkson's "Whyyawannabringmedown" was the inspiration for the novel I happen to be working on right now.  That song started a film in my brain and I had to put it to paper.  It was knocking on my brain so hard that I couldn't ignore it and every time I hear it I write another piece to my story.  Sometimes my brother will start randomly writing a song and it will trigger something.  Today, Sia was very inspirational.  It set the mood for what I was writing and I just kept flying through the words and loving every second of it.  There are so many others that I would like to thank and there is so much more I would like to say regarding the inspiration of music but I'd be here all day.  To sum up, music is art, art is a story and a story is what makes us who we are.

Success!

I am extremely happy to report that my first official working day was a complete success.  All I had to do was simply start writing.  I just need to stop being afraid of what will happen if it doesn't turn out perfectly to start out with.  Writing is re-writing, and that's okay.  So, here I am, throwing my perfectionist side out the window.  I'm going to stop trying to create the perfect characters and write them how a person is meant to be written, human.  Even though I call them working days, writing should be fun.  Let working day #2 commence!

Working Day

Today is going to be what I am affectionately calling a working day.  Since I quit my job in the spring I've felt that I needed to be writing.  And what have I done with said feeling?  Not a whole lot.  Yeah I've written the occasional short story and I keep trying to outline a book that's been festering in the back of my mind.  But what have I really done?  I really don't have much to show for myself.  Last night I got to thinking about how I really write and I remembered a philosophy I adapted a couple of years ago.  I realized that I just need to sit down and write.  That's how all of my best work has come about.  Outlines are nice but they've never worked for me.  What I need to do is just sit down and let my characters tell the story as it happened.  So, needless to say that's what I'm going to do today.  I'm just going to sit down next to a power source and let my characters tell the story.  If it doesn't work, who cares?  After all writing is re-writing, right?

On a different note, I finished yet another book.  I devoured this one in just a couple of days.  It is the second book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy.  (The first book is Shiver.)  It took a very interesting spin that I didn't expect.  However, I wasn't really surprised by it.  The first book hints at it and the reader knows it has to happen sooner or later.  I loved the introduction of new points of view and grew to love those even more than the original characters.  Maybe just because they're new... maybe.  This book is very well written and seems almost poetic at times, just like the first one.  Now, unfortunately, and as usual I am waiting for the third one.  In the mean time, I think I will be picking up other books by Maggie Stiefvater.  Happy reading!

Finally!!

I have finally read a book after my own heart!  Well, at least in one political aspect of my life.  It is possible that this post may a offend several of you out there but... I'm saying it anyway.  Ever since my English 2010 class a couple of years ago when Global Warming was shoved down my throat by my professor I've had a really bad taste in my mouth for said political agenda.  In order to get a good grade on my final paper guess what I did.  Yes!  I wrote my final persuasive paper promoting/arguing for Global Warming.  She must have bought into all the lies and sarcasm I was selling because I received an excellent grade!  There was nothing in all of the months of research I did that could convince me that Global Warming was actually happening.  Absolutely nothing!  So, what does all of that have to do with this book?  I'll tell you.  This book is a work of fiction, but I've never read a work of fiction that had a 50 page bibliography to go with it.  Needless to say I had no idea what this book was going to be about before my brother handed it to me to read.  Though it is fiction, it has so much research embedded into its pages and its wonderful.
A group of left wing Global Warming supporters are having trouble getting the public to believe that their political agenda actually exists.  So what's the only thing that can be done?  Create events to convince them.  Sure lives will be lost, but that's a small price to pay for the sake of the Earth... right?  Enter Peter Evans.  In the beginning he is a believer until he meets a mysterious man that throws everything he believes out the window and has scientific evidence to prove it!  The story keeps evolving and things get more and more exciting and complex.  This is a book that really makes you think about who's running the show when it comes to Global Warming and even other political topics.  I recommend this book, even if you do believe that Global Warming is a problem because the story-telling is pretty good and keeps you at the edge of your seat.

Butterfly Paints

I've been hesitant about whether or not I really wanted to post this little piece of my story, but I decided, why not?  This story is still rather slow in coming at times because I've also decided to keep working on a previous work... maybe not the best idea, but I gotta do what I feel at the time.
This piece is a flashback to when the main character, Mina, is about 12 or 13 years old and her best friend, Luke, is about 14.  Enjoy!

Butterfly Paints

            The afternoon sun shone through the branches of the tree where Luke and I sat.  Someone told me once that it was good luck if a butterfly landed on you.  We sat cross-legged in our favorite spot.  Suddenly he sat very still and told me to do the same.

            “There’s a butterfly in your hair,” he whispered.  It scared me to know that there was a bug in my hair, even one as beautiful as a butterfly.  When I flinched Luke grabbed my hands just below the wrist and I held perfectly still.  We sat there in perfect silence not wanting the good luck to go away before it was ready.

            After a few minutes of him looking at the butterfly and my looking at him, waiting for him to tell me what to do, he brought his eyes to mine and smiled.  I smiled back.  The butterfly was moving in my hair.  Its wings dropped a gold piece of hair onto my face.  Soon after, it flew a slow circle around us and we sat as still as we could.  It landed on my fingertip and made my heart rate sped to a thrumming in my chest.

            His hands rotated slowly around my wrists so his hands were behind mine.  The butterfly walked its way down my finger and into my palm.  I was still scared that a bug was crawling on me, but I couldn’t move.  Luke was there and his gentle hands on mine calmed me… a little. 

            Wings are interesting things and I suddenly felt myself wishing that I could have them.  I wanted wings just like the green, blue and yellow ones we held in our hands.  Luke was staring at me, I could feel it, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from this beautiful creature.  No painting or photograph could capture the moment, nor did I want them to.  The sun glistened off her wing and made even the black edges shimmer.  This had to be the luckiest butterfly in the world because it was the most beautiful.

            I felt Luke’s hands slowly bring mine together to cup the butterfly.  Her wings brushed the insides of my palms like tiny feathers.  A slight giggle escaped my lips.  It almost tickled.

            He smiled and whispered, “She’s yours now.”  His lips came closer to my ear.  “You’ll have good luck forever.”  Hazel eyes twinkled back at me and fingers traced my knuckles. 

            We talked about everything we could do with my newfound luck.  Becoming rich and owning the tallest tree in the world that only we could climb.  We would catch more butterflies and have more luck than we would ever know what to do with.  That’s when I felt her wings slow in my hands.  They didn’t feel as soft as they felt at first.  It was almost like they scratched me now.  Worry grew across my face and Luke’s questioned.

            Slowly I opened my hands.  Blue, green and yellow paint was splashed across my hands smudged in a dull black.  She laid in the crevice where my hands came together, colorless and still.  I searched Luke’s eyes for an answer but they didn’t have one.

Vampires... :)

I must have been in the mood to get hooked on another TV show this week because I am now so desperately hooked on The Vampire Diaries it's ridiculous.  Last night I don't think I slept at all because I was dreaming about vampires all night.  (Not that I mind Ian Somerhalder invading my sleep. :) )  I've found that every time I read something about vampires in some way shape or form I find myself dreaming about them.  So, I guess the point of this post is simply to say that I can't get enough of this show and really can't wait until the season comes out so I can watch it from beginning to end!  Since I've only seen the four clips on hulu I'm still a wee bit confused about a couple of things.  Not gonna stop me from watching though and I'm still on the edge of a cliff because I'm all caught up except for last night's episode.  It's killing me!  Hopefully tonight.

Shiver!

When I first started reading this I was a bit skeptical because it felt like the love story never evolved.  Love at first sight is exciting and all but it doesn't always go anywhere.  This book, however, was so good!  I loved it.  Yes, it's another book about werewolves, but it is so unique and wonderful.  It got to the point where I couldn't put it down.  When I finished last night I think I was grinning like an idiot.  Living vicariously through books is great.  I couldn't wait to pre-order the second book and thank heaven I only have to wait a month and a half for it.  (Unlike the Hunger Games.  I waited six months for the second and now I'm still very impatiently waiting for Mockingjay.)  If you want a good exciting love story, I recommend this one.  You can bet that I will be picking up other books by Maggie Stiefvater!


I also read Bitter is the New Black.  It's a decent (and very humorous) memoir about the author Jen Lancaster who has an insatiable urge to spend money, not on anything, but on Prada, the best spa treatments and such.  This isn't a problem until one day after 9-11 she loses her job and can't find another one.  I have to admit that it was not the best book I've ever read, but I found myself enjoying it.  It's probably the first really chick lit book I've read, and I do think that I will read more.  They're happy and entertaining.  Thanks Jernae!  (Sophie Kinsella is still on my list!)

Fallen

Another book down, and I'll say that I'm in a bit of a slump over this one.  It was easily devoured in about a day and a half and I wasn't ready for it to end, especially since book number two hasn't even come out yet.  (Story of my life:  I'm always waiting for the next book.)
This is another one of those books that I could just live my life vicariously through.  A love story just for the sake of being a love story.  Honestly, I was better than I expected.  The story is well thought out and I fell instantly in love with some of the characters.

Not only does it have an intriguing cover, it's suspenseful, scary, and great!
If you want a book that is just a good fun read with a story about love that could change the world.  This one is for you!  I can't wait to dive into the next one!
Fallen by Lauren Kate

Going Bovine

Going Bovine by Libba Bray
I just finished reading this book over the weekend and I must say that it deserves all the attention it's been getting especially the little gold sticker on the cover... the Printz Award. For those of you who don't know, it is the highest award a young adult novel can receive. Naturally, this award was what first drew me to this book. I read a sample chapter online to see what it was really like and I was hooked. Her writing in this novel is incredible.
Why it's noteworthy: It handles a serious subject in a funny and original way. It depicts high school life incredibly well for those who are numb to the good things in life or for those who feel like their family is a hinderance to who they are, and shows young adults that battles can be fought and won, just maybe not in the way they expected. What I like most about it is that it can teach young adults to live and love the best they can before it's too late. Life doesn't mean anything if you don't let it. Cameron, the main character, is numb to his surroundings and doesn't understand what he's missing in life until he is somewhat forced into a major change of heart.
Caution: I would recommend this book to older young adults, because language, drug use and sexual references.
Though it is not happy, this book has so much value for young adults, and that is why I recommend it.
If you want to know more about it, I would be more than happy to give you more information.

Kittens, Birds and Other Falling Things

I know, it's been forever since I have posted anything. I've been trying to write in the midst of finals and finding a new job. Needless to say, writing hasn't really been the priority. However, now that I'm no longer employed, I find myself writing again! Life has a funny way of working itself out, even if you don't think you're ready for it. There's just something that I was missing while I was working where I was and this is someone's way of saying, "You're not doing your job, so let me help you."

My yoga instructor also said something the other day that really hit home for me. She said that she was afraid to start teaching yoga because she felt like she wasn't good enough, or that she didn't have enough to offer. But, somewhere inside her she knew she had something to offer and knew that she just had to go for it. That's exactly how I felt about writing, and now I know that I just have to go for it! Ready or not! I have a lot to learn, but learning is achieved through practice, success and failure.

This is a story that I started working on as my final project for my literature class and I grew kind of fond of it and I'm excited to expand and keep working on it.

Here's a small sample titled: Kittens, Birds and Other Falling Things.

Once I dropped a kitten in the water just to see if it could swim. When it sank, I knew. Another time I climbed a tree to see a nest of baby birds. They didn't see me, so I picked one up just to let them know I was there. I heard once that baby birds don't always know when they're ready to fly, mama just makes them. Well, mama wasn't there so I assumed the role and let it go. The tiny shrill cry only lasted a couple of seconds. Baby birds aren't always ready to fly.

You can call me heartless all you want. I won't care. The only reason you would say this is if you didn't know my story. Sure, I could've been better, and yeah, I could've done worse. I settle for the middle. Call it fence-sitting, indecisive, numb… whatever. Most of the time it's better not to think about something too much before you do it. In all of these examples I've provided, a mere thought entered my head and I did it. I don't weigh consequences. Nothing turns out how you think it will anyway.

When I tested the kitten I was just curious. My friend's cat just had kittens and one of them wandered into my back yard. I sat on the swing set looking out over the pond wondering about fish and how they swim. People swim, ducks swim. Along comes kitty. You know the rest. No one ever asked me what happened, and if they did, I would've told them. There's no point in lying.

The birds? There isn't much to explain there. A few weeks after the kitten and the day before seventh grade, I climbed a tree by the same pond to see the birds. Baby bird jumped, I jumped off the other side. Dad mowed the lawn.

Daisies

    I don't usually write poetry but I thought I would share this anyway.
This poem came about while writing a notebook entry for my British Romantic Literature class. I know it is kind of depressing, but in the Romantic era there was a lot of focus on the emotions and exploration of everyday things. So, here's my little take on Romanticism.



I ran through the field of daisies
And stopped to pick one.
I knelt and admired the petals
Perfect and petite.
I pulled one petal off and shivered as I said,
"He loves me."
Then feared as I said that he didn't love me at all.
"He loves me."
I smiled once more.
And then a frown once again crossed my face.
I continued on in this pattern,
Of smiling and frowning.
When at last the final petal fell in my lap,
There wasn't a smile but giddy excitement that he loved me too!
In haste I picked another daisy.
And then another,
And another.
Each held the same good news.
I couldn't stop,
The news was intoxicating.
I sighed relief and placed a hand in my lap,
I felt what I had done.
The pillow of petals I had created
Was a crime I could not erase.
The field of white,
Now a place of broken stems.
The daisies had done nothing but let me pluck and pluck.
My heart sank and tears threatened.
Love had caused pain to the beautiful and pure.
Was this love I felt a thing of evil?
I knew not.
Pain mixed with my excitement
And the tears flowed freely onto the wilting petals.
I gathered the plucked daisies into my arms.
Sank down into the earth with
Pain as severe as my joy was full.
"He will love me not."
Only my pride fulfilled,
And my garden ruined.


  

For the Love of Books

    I am in love with my new little bookshelf! It was actually quite convenient as I am creating my literature collection and now all of you can actually see the books I've read. My literature collection will have a rating system all its own. This little shelf will be rated simply by how much I personally liked the book. My collection will have some deeper influences involved and actually rate the book according to stuff that counts (or at least what I think counts).
    I've recently had a lot of people ask me for book recommendations and now you can see what I like, dislike and read because it meant something.
    For anyone who wants to know what I'm reading right now…

  
    So far, I love this book. It's another one that keeps me up at night because I can't stop reading.

Woohoo!

Okay, now that I've changed my background and layout, this blog is finally starting to come together!  I'm still a bit inept at doing so.  Perhaps I should get a tutor...

It Has Begun!

Okay, so I have now started my very own blog!  It's taken me quite some time to get up the guts to actually start one, and it's rather exciting.  Thus far I don't really know what I'm doing, but it's slowly starting to come together.  Now if I could just get my pictures in my slider to show up everything would be great!