Stuff I've Been Consuming 1

BOOKS READ:Hyperion, Dan SimmonsShatter Me, Tahereh MafiUnder the Never Sky, Veronica RossiStarstruck: The Business of Celebrity, Elizabeth Currid-HalkettThe Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, Jennifer E. SmithMOVIES WATCHED:Young Adult, Jason ReitmanThe Descendents, Alexander PayneGirl With the Dragon Tattoo, David FincherNo Strings Attached, Ivan ReitmanFriends With Benefits, Will GluckWar Horse, Steven SpielbergHaywire, Steven SoderberghMonth...

Five and Dime

A sorta weekly feature of things I co-sign: (1) Diversity in YA Fiction website and tour just came to an end. So sad, so true, but here is Melinda and Cindy's wrap up post!(2) Plotto: The Master Book of All Plots. 1,462 plots for you to use. I guess it's more varied than following Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey arc right?(3) How Not to Blog: Beginning Blogging for Authors Part II. If I could find the proper motivation I'd like to do one of these posts as I have some strong feelings about author/writing blogs.(4) Can a YA Writer "make it" as...

End of the Beginning

It's a good thing for social media, otherwise I never would have realized that today was Chinese New Year. Last year for this special occasion I was tromping through New York's Chinatown, trying to lead some people in search of a good meal. Little did they know that my Chinese food ordering abilities suck. All noodles, dumplings, and vegetables. Piles of side dishes and no meat. I vowed to make it up to them but haven't had a chance to yet. Next...

Veera Hiranandani

I love book titles that make you shake your head in wonder because they are so poetic and fitting. Like The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. Like The Whole Story of Half a Girl.When I saw the book's title floating around on blogs months ago, I knew I had to read it. Even more so when I found out the protagonist was a half Indian, half Jewish-American girl."After her father loses his job, Sonia Nadhamuni, half Indian and half Jewish American,...

Feature Five

A sorta weekly feature of things I co-sign: (1) Ten Cent Notes' Favorite YA-ish Blogs of 2011. When in doubt, I trust Jordyn.(2) s.e. smith's book review of Lauren Myracle's Shine. Actually anything s.e. smith writes. Her blog at meloukhia.net is amazing.(3) The Truth About Book Publicity. Basically it's all hit or miss. The best quote from a commenter: "My writing quality is insanely hit and miss..."(4) Gwalingo. "Gwarlingo highlights some of the most inventive work being made today in music, writing, film, performance, and the visual arts." Plus,...

Put 'em up, put 'em up

You go away for the weekend and a whole internet kerfuffle happens. Round who-can-really-keep-count of the battle between (some) authors and reviewers popped up a few days ago.Really the most exciting part when this happens is tracing the backstory of who said what and in response to whom. It's like following a less dramatic, literary version of Contagion. "Who was Offender Zero?! What was the basic reproduction number? How many days do we have...

Under Your Spell

Pretty much any time I'm faced with nothing to do, I want to go movie hopping. With prices as they are, watching just one movie seems like a waste. Taking friends movie hopping is the best too, as newbies still have to shed that high school fear of getting caught. What's the worst that could happen now? They call your parents? Although this was the year I actually left a theater because I was pretty certain the attendants noticed and would be...