tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12731309038466878432024-03-19T03:14:14.902-07:00Taste Life Twicetashianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863874781578619999noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-26915920798656908722009-11-12T22:56:00.000-08:002009-11-12T23:12:27.336-08:00Interview with Zetta Elliott<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sv0EJdHVm0I/AAAAAAAAARU/t4J8KOspB5c/s1600-h/zetta_elliott.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403479688395201346" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 171px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sv0EJdHVm0I/AAAAAAAAARU/t4J8KOspB5c/s200/zetta_elliott.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Zetta Elliott is a seasoned and decorated vet whose emotional prose will knock your socks off. You'll definitely want to pick up <em>A Wish After Midnight</em>. Be prepared to fall in literary love. I want to thank her for giving us an interview, and apologize for waiting an unmentionable amount of time to post it. Enjoy!<br /><br />1. Describe A Wish After Midnight in 5 words or less.<br /><br /><em>That’s hard! Afro-urban magic time travel.<br /></em><br />2. How did you choose the title of your book?<br /><br /><em>I’m so bad at picking titles for the things that I write; in fact, I hate it. I think for this novel I had the title before I’d even written very much because I knew that all the drama hinged on a single wish made late at night when the garden was virtually abandoned. What would YOU have called this book?<br /></em><br />3. What came first, the characters or the story?<br /><br /><em>Definitely the story—I knew I wanted to write a kind of counter-narrative to all the stories I’d read as a child that only featured white children having amazing adventures. And, of course, I was inspired by Octavia Butler’s novel, Kindred, which has a modern black woman traveling back and forth between the antebellum South and her contemporary urban life. Genna was based partly on the girls in my neighborhood and my own little sister who’s tall, and slender, and dark-skinned, and very beautiful (though I’m not sure she knows it…). I did have an outline that I worked out in advance, and I stuck to it, really—leaving out just one of my intended characters; she might appear in the sequel. Genna was really the only character that mattered to me at first, and once her voice became clear, then it wasn’t hard to figure out who else needed to be a part of her world. Neo-slave narratives are “new” tellings of an enslaved person’s journey from slavery to freedom; historically, African Americans built networks, communities, bonds with other people, and THAT is how they survived and held onto their humanity. So I also knew from the outset that Genna had to have friends and elders and rivals to help her get through. I created characters in the contemporary world that would contrast and/or coincide with people Genna met after traveling into the past.<br /><br /></em>4. Who was your favorite character to write about?<br /><br /><em>That’s hard to answer…I had a LOT of fun writing this book, and the characters were very real to me for a long time, even after I stopped writing. I liked Mattie a lot, and she’s already got a few scenes in the sequel. I know readers like Paul more than Judah, and both of them were fun to write—largely because they’re polar opposites! But I guess Genna was my favorite…<br /></em><br />5. Do you share traits with any of the characters?<br /><br /><em>…in part because there’s a lot of me in her. I felt invisible a lot of the time when I was growing up, and my teen years were pretty unhappy. I had an older sister that boys loved, an older brother in trouble with the law, and a mother who wasn’t really there most of the time. My dad left the country, we were broke, I couldn’t deal with my hair…but I felt like all I had to do was hold on. If I could just hold on, I’d get out of high school, move away for college, and everything would instantly get better. That didn’t happen, of course, but I did learn that TRAVEL can change your perspective. I moved around a bit, and then in my last year of college I discovered black women writers like Toni Morrison and Jamaica Kincaid. And then my imagination REALLY took flight; I moved to Brooklyn, and a new phase of my life began—one where I was more in control, which was a new experience for me. Genna’s searching for that kind of power—she wants to be in control of her destiny but there are so many forces working against her. She’s never defeated, though, and I think I share her determination to stick around until things start to look up.<br /><br /></em>6. What was your favorite scene to write?<br /><br /><em>I’m not sure I’d say it’s my favorite, but I have vivid memories of writing the scene where Genna and Mrs. Brant fight in the kitchen. I kept hearing that word: THWAP! And it all came out so quickly…I had goosebumps as I wrote! It’s so hard for us in the 21st century to understand just how a slave becomes a slave; we like to think we’d have gone upside the head of any white person who tried to hurt us, but part of becoming a slave is learning not to fight back, understanding that the price of self-defense is just too high. Not only could a slave owner sell or whip YOU, s/he could sell or harm the people you love. Women were especially vulnerable in this sense because they were often mothers, and Nannie had already seen her children sold away from her…so I liked that scene because Genna acts on her instinct and the months of pressure that have been building inside of her; she can’t STAND Mrs. Brant, and yet after the fight ends, Genna finds herself out in the street wondering just what her options are. They’re so limited, and so she returns to the Brants’ home but finds a new way to resist. I was really satisfied with that scene and how it resolved itself.<br /></em><br />7. Your book has a lot of very emotional scenes. Did you find yourself getting emotional while writing them?<br /><br /><em>YES! At times I was laughing out loud, and then I’d get so antsy I’d have to get up and walk around, then sit back down and write before the words flew out of my head. Writing my first novel (unpublished) was a different experience; it felt more like work. This novel was a joy to write—it really was. And I tend to write in a cinematic style, I think, so the film was playing in my head as I wrote—I could see it all unfolding, and because I live in Brooklyn, I could literally walk the streets I was writing about—I could go to the garden, or Brooklyn Heights, or Weeksville (which still exists!), or I could go to the library and look at photos of Brooklyn when it was still its own city. Plus I loved my characters, so I shared their feelings—I definitely shed a few tears! I finished Wish and immediately began writing the sequel; but my father had cancer and needed my care, so I eventually put the sequel away.<br /></em><br />8. Can you give us the inside scoop on the sequel, Judah's Tale?<br /><br /><em>Inside scoop? As in, tell you what happens? Of course not! I haven’t even written it yet, and I’m not sure which direction I want to move in. The book’s supposed to be told from Judah’s perspective, but Genna just won’t let go. So half of the scenes I’ve written so far are told in Genna’s voice; she’s living in post-9/11 NYC, and that’s really hard for her. Then there’s Judah’s ongoing story in Weeksville, PLUS his slave narrative that we never fully uncovered in Wish. I start out with some info about his family, his childhood. I’ll give you the book’s opening line (spoken by Judah): “I may be a killer, but I am not my father.” You’ll just have to wait for the rest!<br /></em><br />9. What can we expect from you in the future? Tell us about the projects you're currently working on.<br /><br /><em>Judah’s Tale, of course. I also wrote a middle grade novel this summer called Muñecas. I just finished an essay on Afro-urban magic and the Door of No Return; it’s about “way-finding” and how I plan to draw on African & African American belief systems to open portals for Genna in NYC. I’m thinking of polishing and self-publishing my first novel, One Eye Open, and I’m in negotiations to sell the rights to Wish.<br /></em><br />10. Is there anything else you'd like to tell the readers out there?<br /><br /><em>I don’t think so, but I would like to thank YOU for giving my book a chance and for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts and feelings with your readers. First and foremost, I’m a writer, but I also really want to do what I can to change the publishing industry. It’s just not right that stories, which might mean a lot to young readers of color, aren’t being given a chance to exist. I spent five years trying to find a publisher for Wish and was rejected more times than I can count. I know some folks are tired of “urban lit,” but I write about the city and think there are fresh ways to tell stories about the urban environment. Other folks are tired of “slavery stories,” but again—there are new ways of looking at the past. We’ve got to stop clinging to the old way of doing things—let’s open the doors and let in more writers with a wider range of stories!</em><br /><p>Tashi <3</p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-73933523269844675712009-11-12T22:46:00.001-08:002009-11-12T22:54:07.157-08:00Review: A Wish After Midnight<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sv0A6T-912I/AAAAAAAAARM/dQYBPcP9xgQ/s1600-h/a+wish+after+midnight.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403476129711249250" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sv0A6T-912I/AAAAAAAAARM/dQYBPcP9xgQ/s200/a+wish+after+midnight.jpg" border="0" /></a><em>Fifteen-year old Genna Colon believes wishes can come true.When Genna flees into the garden late one night, she makes a fateful wish and finds herself instantly transported back in time to Civil War-era Brooklyn.</em><br /><p>A Wish After Midnight is a tale packed with so much emotion and heartache, it will leave you racing along behind its daring characters, sharing their hopes and dreams. It deals with such heavy topics as racism and abandonment, in a way that is at times delicate and at times strikingly straightforward. Spinning a tale of wishes and woe, Elliott has certainly created a novel with important messages and hopeful characters that I will remember for that a lifetime. <br /><br />Genna is a strong-willed female protagonist whose pain practically creases each page. Her drive and determination are inspiring, while her past and her thoughts create a depth that leaves you wondering if you could travel to Brooklyn and meet her. Feeling insecure and trying to carve out her place in the world, Genna is a relatable character for any teenage girl to read about. Her will to survive and ability to adapt serve as a driving force in the story, taking her from the poverty of 21st century Brooklyn, to the racism and struggle of the Civil War Era.<br /><br />Judah is a character to be remembered. He is strong, intelligent, and deep. He sees Genna for what she is and loves her for it. Embracing his ancestry, he helps Genna do the same, and realize her beauty. Judah is strong, sensitive, and caring, though hot-tempered and headstrong at times. Still, he remains resilient and warm-hearted.<br /><br />Paul serves as a nice juxtaposition to Judah. Where Judah has a quiet confidence about him, Paul is bold and persistent in an irresistibly charming way. He does not share the same silent connection with Genna as Judah, but he is definitely a fun character to read about, and my favorite of the two boys. <br /><br />Mattie was exceptionally deep for a minor character. Showing us pieces of her past and bursts of her personality, Elliott forms a strong connection between this character and Genna, making me eager to read more about her in the upcoming sequel.<br /><br />Juxtaposing each other, the characters from Genna’s 21st century life and her Civil War Era life, are rounded out nicely. There are no shallow characters to be found in this novel. Everyone has a story. <br /><br />The plot moves along quickly, wrapping you in each of Genna’s worlds. After reading Part I, you won’t want to leave the 21st century of this gripping novel, but after reading Part II, you’ll be torn between the two realistic and emotional worlds Elliott has created.<br /><br />Overall, A Wish After Midnight was a great story with some heavy topics that play out in a way that will leave you racing through its pages. Its cliffhanger ending will leave you yearning for the sequel. William Styron once said, “A good book should leave you... slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading it.” I truly do feel like I’ve lived several lives in reading this novel. And I can’t wait to live several more.</p><p>Tashi <3<br /></p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-58274141142562768322009-11-04T22:39:00.000-08:002009-11-12T22:56:51.896-08:00Wednesday Writing!<p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SvJzXJZzq7I/AAAAAAAAARE/llihDIDguWM/s1600-h/writing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400505744668994482" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 125px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 118px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SvJzXJZzq7I/AAAAAAAAARE/llihDIDguWM/s200/writing.jpg" border="0" /></a>Tell a story in 100 words or less. Use the words: cocoa, chapstick, and hollow.<br /></p><p>Danielle laced her fingers with the curvy handle of the lukewarm mug of cocoa. She pressed it to her lips, no longer enjoying the mixture of the chocolaty drink and her peppermint chapstick. Leaning heavily on the windowsill, she tried to appreciate the twinkling icicle lights decorating nearby houses. Unsuccessful, she went off to bed, her socked feet shuffling against the kitchen’s linoleum floor. She glanced longingly at the hollow picture frame seated on the bedside table, allowing herself some sorrow. <em>Christmas Eve won’t ever be the same</em>, she thought to herself.</p><p>92 words! Your turn!</p><p>Tashi <3</p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-28647760433367274672009-11-03T23:06:00.000-08:002009-11-03T23:20:13.082-08:00Tuesday Taste<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SvEp2qWyXoI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/dpB1-uBWva0/s1600-h/lipstick+apology.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400143447253474946" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 132px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SvEp2qWyXoI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/dpB1-uBWva0/s200/lipstick+apology.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em>Lipstick Apology</em> by Jennifer Jabaley<br /><br /><em><strong>Four Little Words Written in Lipstick...</strong></em><br /><em>mean Emily must say goodbye to everything she knows. Emily Carson has always been a good girl. So when she throws a party the night her parents leave for vacation, she's sure she'll get busted. What Emily doesn't know is that her parents will never return.</em><br /><br />Page 159:<br /><em></em><br /><em>"'You have seven have seven unused canvases. Ten unused paintbrushes.' His lips moved silently as he counted. 'Twelve Bic gel pens.</em> Twelve?<em> Stacks of books and two of the same iPods. Do you like buy in bulk or something?'</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>I picked up the iPods. 'One is for music, one is for audiobooks.' I looked around. 'If I like something, I want to have a duplicate. You know, in case something happens to the first one.'"<br /></em><br /><3 TashiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-33956132135005270152009-11-02T22:38:00.000-08:002009-11-02T22:59:04.813-08:00Monday Musings<p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Su_QSN9KmoI/AAAAAAAAAQs/HcbWQ3kOZFM/s1600-h/thinker.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399763489642945154" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 109px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Su_QSN9KmoI/AAAAAAAAAQs/HcbWQ3kOZFM/s200/thinker.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><p>1. Hello again. I've missed you.</p><p>2. I'm so excited to see what new books are out and what's been happening in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">blogosphere</span>.</p><p>3. I haven't stop reading, and I've read some really great books! I can't wait to share.</p><p>4. Halloween was great! I went trick-or-treating with two of my best friends. I was Freddy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Kreuger</span>. :D</p><p>5. Someone did a drive by egging. They got my ankle. My foot was sticky for the rest of the night, but it's okay. I was sticky and happy, just like most kids.</p><p>6. My Dad is trying to raid my candy. I will defend with honor.</p><p>7. I've figured out which 7 colleges I'm applying to. For most of the applications, all I need to add is my personal statement. Thank the Holy Deity.</p><p>8. I've written my personal statements, but I'm still revising.</p><p>9. Wish me luck!</p><p>10. One college has already offered me a scholarship. Problem is, it's in Alabama, and everyone in my world is in California.</p><p>11. I've caught up in all my classes. I'm drowning in B+'s though, hoping to pull them up by semester's end.</p><p>12. Except for AP Chemistry, which I'm just happy to pass.</p><p>13. I watched Corpse Bride and Nightmare Before Christmas for the first time. (Finally!) I prefer Corpse Bride. (She turns into butterflies!)</p><p>14. I also watched Rocky Horror Picture Show. Weirdest. Movie. Ever. And I usually love weird musicals. (See Rent, Sweeney Todd)</p>15. Speaking of, I think I will be trying out for my school's musical, to the tune of "What is this Feeling?" from <em>Wicked</em>.<br /><p>16. Is anyone else doing college applications? We should start a Readers Against Applications Group. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Haha</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">jk</span></p><p>17. I can't wait for Wednesday Writing.</p><p>18. I should get some sleep. School starts way too early.</p><p><3 Tashi<br /><p></p><br /><p><br /></p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-58572675849534464692009-11-01T20:20:00.000-08:002009-11-01T20:30:53.446-08:00NaNoWriMo!!! :OI've decided to skip the apologies, because no one wants to read that.<br /><br />My only excuse is that not blogging is as addictive as blogging. Or rather, other stuff is as addictive as blogging.<br /><br />However, I'm back. No, really. Cross my fingers, hope to die, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">pinky</span> promise, I'm blogging again.<br /><br />When a YouTube video was the only reason I remembered <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">NaNoWriMo</span>, I knew something had gone horribly, horribly wrong.<br /><br />I really did miss you guys, and I'm glad <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">NaNoWriMo</span> is giving me that window to dive in through.<br /><br />I'll tell you all about my little dip into non-blogging life in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">tomorrow's</span> Monday Musings.<br /><br /><3 Tashi<br /><br />P.S. Susan I miss e-mailing you. :( That <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">definitely</span> needs to start again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-62156311738788379542009-09-28T17:06:00.000-07:002009-09-28T17:33:01.471-07:00Epic Excuse: NYLCSoo.... I haven't posted in... 6? 7? days. I'M SO SORRY. If you were wondering, I'm still alive. Yay me! Here's what happened.<br /><br />I went to this conference called the National Young Leaders Conference. I thought I would be able to go online there, but first, I left my power cord at home, and my mom had to mail it to me, and then I didn't have WiFi in my room, and none of that mattered anyway, because we woke up at six and were going until 10:30, at which point 4 girls had to use 1 bathroom to get ready for the next day (this usually took until 1 am). I had no time there and I did a lot of work and got no sleep and couldn't do any reading and it was.......THE. BEST. TIME. OF. MY. FREKKIN. LIFE.<br /><br />No joke. No sarcasm. It was amazing!!<br /><br />Some highlights:<br /><ol><li>Hearing Scott Beale, CEO and founder of Atlas Corps, speak, and getting to give a short spiel thanking him in front of about 330 other scholars.</li><li>Visiting all the major memorials.</li><li>Going to a workshop about Youth Venture.</li><li>Meeting my representative's assistant.</li><li>Seeing Diane Feinstein debate on the Senate Floor.</li><li>Seeing John McCain. (Some other people said they saw a very annoyed John Kerry too)</li><li>Sitting in the front row at the House of Congress, listening to Congressman Sanford Bishop speak.</li><li>Listening to The Milton Jaques Press Panel (Nancy Ambrose among others)</li><li>Having a Town Hall discussion on immigration and feeling so lucky to be in a room full of such intelligent teenagers. It was seriously amazing to be surrounded by intelligent people for 6 full days.</li><li>Performing the duties of Minority Leader for the Republican party, including choosing talking points, reviewing amendments, and choosing debate speakers, opening and closing a Model Congress Simulation, and pumping up a crowd.</li><li>Acting as an Associate Justice.</li><li>Winning a booty shakin' dance contest at our farewell dinner cruise/dance.</li><li>Meeting amazing kids from across the country who I am never going to forget.</li><li>Discovering that I am far bolder than I ever imagined, far more outgoing than I ever imagined, and a much better leader than I ever imagined.</li></ol><p>It's nice to be back, but it's bittersweet. I feel like I've crammed a month of life into six days. It was seriously one of the most mindblowing experiences out there. If you get invited to NYLC or GYLC, do it. Seriously.</p><p>Now that I'm back, I'm ready to start college applications, book reviews, interviews, and a zillion other things I've neglected for what feels like a lifetime. </p><p>Love to all the amazing followers who stuck by me in this long silent period and to the few people who actually began following me. Wowza.</p><p>Tashi <3</p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-9374755799248059602009-09-20T18:56:00.000-07:002009-09-20T19:16:31.337-07:00Katie Alender on Her Debut Novel<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Srbdb9pnpTI/AAAAAAAAAQk/2e6HJGEF02E/s1600-h/KatieAlender-preview-3-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383733877043340594" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 135px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Srbdb9pnpTI/AAAAAAAAAQk/2e6HJGEF02E/s200/KatieAlender-preview-3-1.jpg" border="0" /></a>Katie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Alender</span> is not only one of the nicest people you'll meet, but a great new YA author. Her debut novel, <em>Bad Girls Don't Die</em> can be found in bookstores everywhere, and it's spooky plot is definitely worthwhile. She's a fresh face to look out for.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Describe Bad Girls Don't Die in 5 words or less.</span></strong><br /><em>Scary sister changes everything.</em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>Is there a story behind the title?</strong></span><br /><em>Actually, the title was meant to be a joke. My agent, editor, and I had been wracking our brains for weeks to come up with something that conveyed the tone of the book--a little edgy but not too dark. I was making list after list and sending them off, and on one of the lists, to be funny, I wrote "Bad Girls Don't Die (sung to the tune of...)", referring to the oldies song "Big Girls Don't Cry." So then my editor called and said, "Everyone loved one of your titles!" and she told me which one and it was a bit of a surprise, to put it mildly. But I came to love it. Now I can't imagine the book being called anything else.<br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong></strong></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>What inspired you to write<em> Bad Girls Don't Die?<br /></em></strong></span><em>I was inspired by a daydream I had about two sisters who tell each other stories, and then one sister started making the stories come true. And I love the gore-less <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">gothic</span> spookiness of ghost stories.<br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></strong></em><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Since this is your first novel, would you say it was hard finishing the manuscript?</span></strong><br /><em>Actually, finishing the first draft was easy. But I knew the book needed lots of revising to be anywhere near good enough to publish. I rewrote the entire thing many times, making big, sweeping changes each time. It was a little like Novel Writing 101. A lot of authors have two books tucked away in a drawer somewhere... For me, earlier drafts of this book are my version of the two books nobody will EVER read. </em><br /><em><br /></em><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">How was your experience breaking into the industry?<br /></span></strong><em>It wasn't as traumatic as some people's. In 2005, I had made contact with a gentleman I worked with briefly a few years earlier--he was an editor with his own imprint. I asked him if he'd take a look at the book, and he told me to send it along. I never did hear back from him. After a year had passed, I was starting to feel like it was time to fish or cut bait, as they say. Surfing my high school alumni website, I happened to notice that a guy I'd known was a literary agent. I sent him an email saying hi and asking if he'd look at my book, and by the end of the week, he'd agreed to represent it. We went through two rounds of submission with a set of revisions in between, and then the book was bought in a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">pre</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">empt</span>.<br /></em><br /><em>What's funny is that getting my book to print after it was bought was more of a bear than getting an agent and selling it, because my acquiring editor decided to pursue another career path. It's terrifying to be handed to a new editor, but I got VERY lucky and landed with a brilliant woman who really helped shape the book into what it is today.<br /></em><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Some authors say that the characters come to them before the story, was this true for you?<br /></span></strong><em>Yes--the sisters were where the whole thing started for me. Alexis formed while I was writing, but Kasey sort of sprang from my head fully developed--she was always a character who was disconnected to the point that she became vulnerable to evil influences.<br /></em><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Who was your favorite character to write about?</span></strong><br /><em>Interesting question! Aside from the main characters, I really liked writing Lydia and Pepper.</em><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Do you share any of your characters' quirks, like Alexis' love of photography, Kasey's obsession with dolls, or Carter's affinity for architecture?<br /></span></strong><em>I took photography in high school--but I was too broke to buy film and paper so I spent a lot of time reading about photographers. Dolls, not so much. Architecture interests me in that it reflects time periods and attitudes. What people's houses look like says so much about their priorities.<br />I'm interested in everything, though. I love to learn.<br /></em><strong><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">What was your favorite scene to write?</span></strong><br /><em><span style="font-family:arial;">I</span></em><em><span style="font-family:arial;"> think the scene with Carter and Alexis in the library--or the scene with them at the park.</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></em></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">What can we expect from you in the future? Any new books in the works?<br /></span></strong><em>Yes! I'm thrilled to be working on two sequels to "Bad Girls Don't Die." They'll be in stores in 2011 and 2012.<br /></em><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Is there anything else you'd like to tell the readers out there?<br /></span></strong><em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Hmm</span>... how about, thanks for reading!</em><br /><br />Thanks Katie! We'll be looking out for those sequels!<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Tashi</span> <3<br /><br />P.S. Read my review of Bad Girls Don't Die <a href="http://taste-life-twice.blogspot.com/2009/09/sunday-review-bad-girls-dont-die-by.html">here</a>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-7537725015238520742009-09-19T19:48:00.000-07:002009-09-20T19:18:07.264-07:00Sunday Review: Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SrWYOmtY4_I/AAAAAAAAAQU/8d_XCgQmQno/s1600-h/bad+girls.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383376306267808754" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 129px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SrWYOmtY4_I/AAAAAAAAAQU/8d_XCgQmQno/s200/bad+girls.jpg" border="0" /></a><em>Bad Girls Don't Die</em> by Katie Alender<br /><br /><em>Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents’ marriage; her doll-crazy thirteen-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude.<br /></em><br /><em>When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.<br /></em><br /><em>Alexis wants to think that it’s all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening–to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the student council VP. Alexis knows she’s the only person who can stop Kasey — but what if that green-eyed girl isn’t even Kasey anymore?<br /></em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Bad Girls Don't Die </em>is a great spooky suburban tale to stay up and read late at night. With quirky characters, just the right amount of thrill, and a dash of teeny romance, it makes for the perfect light, fall read. Do dolls creep you out? Well read on, my friend, read on.<br /><br />Alexis was a pretty typical suburban teenager. Her view of the world is short-sighted, but this does not make for a shallow character. She's a small-time anarchist, the girl with the picket signs and spray paint, who does photography on the side.<br /><br />Kasey, the doll collector of the story, was a bit of a weak character. For most of the novel, her personality is more of a vehicle for the ghost, than an actual character. She really gets overshadowed in the novel, but it makes room for a nice spooky tale. Also, despite missing out on Kasey's true personality, the reader does get to see the love between Kasey and Alexis in Alexis' thoughts and scenes towards the end of the novel.<br /><br />Carter Blume, in all his blue-eyed charm, was a delicious romantic addition to a spooky tale. His fondness for architecture, dark past, and interest in Alexis lend his character depth. He's the character you're hoping will pop up in every scene and spout lovey-dovey brilliance, as he often does.<br /><br />Megan was probably my favorite character. She was really spunky, and not your average depthless literary cheerleader. The ghostly story of her mother's death, and how it connects to Kasey's turmoil, makes for great reading and really thickens the plot of the novel.<br /><br />The plot of this novel moves along nicely, between romantic scenes with Carter, creepy scenes with Kasey, and the quickening drip of details from a horrific past, you won't want to put this book down. The only part of the plot I found even the least bit hard to swallow was the very end, but I'm a sucker for a less-than-happy ending. It was a bit too straightforward and cheery for me.<br /><br />Overall, this was definitely a fun ghost story, and I'd recommend it for late night reading when schoolwork has attacked your brain. This is a great debut novel from Katie Alender, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.<br /><br />Plot: 7/10<br />Readability: 8/10<br />Character Development: 7/10<br />Ending: 7/10<br />Writing: 7/10<br /><br />Tashi <3<br /><br />P.S. Read my interview with Katie Alender <a href="http://taste-life-twice.blogspot.com/2009/09/katie-alender-on-her-debut-novel.html">here</a>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-18422692705693964562009-09-16T16:45:00.000-07:002009-09-16T16:59:19.696-07:00Wednesday Writing Contest!!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SrF4yHdhVxI/AAAAAAAAAP8/ceA-89uYEsE/s1600-h/writing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382215832076113682" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 125px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 118px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SrF4yHdhVxI/AAAAAAAAAP8/ceA-89uYEsE/s200/writing.jpg" border="0" /></a>I must admit, I've been looking forward to Wednesday. Don't know about Wednesday Writing? <a href="http://taste-life-twice.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-meme-wednesday-writing.html">Click here</a>.<br /><br />Today's words are: tears, sweet, and friendship<br /><br />My writing:<br /><em></em><br /><em>He's giving me that look that says he needs me. His eyes drip apology, but his tears lie. Each time he tries to convince me he’s over it, that it hasn’t consumed him, and each time I believe him. Somehow, believing him is easier. But you don’t just get over an addiction. His isn’t a monkey on his back or a devil on his shoulder. His feigns friendship as it eats first his mind, then his body, and eventually his soul. It comes in, sits with us at our table, whispers sweet nothings into his ear, and destroys us</em>.<br /><br />No one responded to the last Wednesday's Writing, so I thought, to get us started, I'd make it a contest! Just leave your 100 word story in the comments, or leave me a link to it. If it's over 100 words, or doesn't use the day's words, it will be appreciated...and disqualified.<br /><br />So you're probably wondering what's up for grabs huh?<br /><em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SrF43fif6HI/AAAAAAAAAQE/eAlRbGH6gUk/s1600-h/suitescarletttiny.jpg"></a></em><br /><em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SrF43fif6HI/AAAAAAAAAQE/eAlRbGH6gUk/s1600-h/suitescarletttiny.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382215924438788210" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 132px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SrF43fif6HI/AAAAAAAAAQE/eAlRbGH6gUk/s200/suitescarletttiny.jpg" border="0" /></a></em><br /><em>Suite Scarlett</em> by Maureen Johnson!<br /><br /><em>Scarlett Martin has grown up in a most unusual way. Her family owns the Hopewell, a small hotel in the heart of New York City, and Scarlett lives there with her four siblings - Spencer, Lola, and Marlene.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>When each of the Martins turns fifteen, they are expected to take over the care of a suite in the once elegant, now shabby Art Deco hotel. For Scarlett's fifteenth birthday, she gets both a room called the Empire Suite, and a permanent guest called Mrs. Amberson.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Scarlett doesn't quite know what to make of this C-list starlet, world traveler, and aspiring autobiographer who wants to take over her life. And when she meets Eric, an astonishingly gorgeous actor who has just moved to the city, her summer takes a second unexpected turn.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Before the summer is over, Scarlett will have to survive a whirlwind of thievery, Broadway glamour, romantic missteps, and theatrical deceptions. But in the city where anything can happen, she just might be able to pull it off.</em><br /><br />Be sure to leave an e-mail address! Extra entries for every time you link this! I'll pick my favorite story Wednesday, September 30th!<br /><br />Tashi <3<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-92209430255295257962009-09-14T23:12:00.000-07:002009-09-14T23:21:07.693-07:00Tuesday Taste!!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sq8wiohLkLI/AAAAAAAAAPs/wEPYEX8-jzk/s1600-h/a+wish+after+midnight.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381573451281305778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sq8wiohLkLI/AAAAAAAAAPs/wEPYEX8-jzk/s200/a+wish+after+midnight.jpg" border="0" /></a> Today's Tuesday Taste is a gripping, heartbreaking, soulful book. <br /><em></em><br /><em>A Wish After Midnight</em> by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Zetta</span> Elliott<br /><br /><em>Fifteen-year old Genna Colon believes wishes can come true.When Genna flees into the garden late one night, she makes a fateful wish and finds herself instantly transported back in time to Civil War-era Brooklyn.</em><br /><p>From page...158</p><p><em>"It's a nice, sunny day, and I'm not in any rush to get back home. I'm feeling kind of open inside, like the sun is shining on all the flowers and green things I keep in that special room inside my heart."</em></p><p>Could I love that imagery any more?</p><p><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tashi</span> <3</p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-21297633784560504272009-09-14T18:45:00.000-07:002009-09-14T19:07:58.914-07:00Monday Musings<ol><li><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sq7yC9t-prI/AAAAAAAAAPk/l0Ll-1pj1T0/s1600-h/thinker.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381504737495393970" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 109px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sq7yC9t-prI/AAAAAAAAAPk/l0Ll-1pj1T0/s200/thinker.jpg" border="0" /></a> I was sent home from school today because my bra straps were showing. I had to miss 3rd and 4th period, and I don't even have a 6th, so I had to come back to the school for one class. I am not happy about this, especially because 4th period is AP Chem, my hardest class. Oh, and there's the little fact that there is now a one-day in-house suspension on my record.*</li><li>My friend accidentally hit me straight in the eye (and I mean perfect shot, you could hear the thwack) with a kidney bean while aiming for another friend. My eye still hurts a little, but at least it's not red or swollen anymore.</li><li>A creepy guy said hello to me out of the window of his van on my way home from school. Now, he may have been a nice guy, but if you've ever been a 16 year old girl, you know that "nice guy" turns into "creepy old man" when he's talking to you out of a van window and you don't even know him.</li><li>I came home to find a letter in the mail telling me I'm an AP Scholar with Honor, which made me really happy, until I realized that I should be an AP Scholar with Distinction, which is one level higher. I've just e-mailed the Collegeboard.</li><li>I have a lab due tomorrow and I've barely had anytime for reading, even though the book I'm reading, <em>A Wish After Midnight</em>, has been amazing so far.</li><li>I found <a href="http://www.chasingray.com/archives/2009/09/what_do_you_want_from_us.html">this lovely post </a> at Chasing Ray asking publishers if they just want publicity or they really want reviews that I think any book blogger will have some opinions on.</li><li>The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2xa_JU995s">New Moon Trailer </a>is awesome!</li></ol><p>Well, today has not been my best day, but it could've been a million times worse, so I thank God for it anyway.</p><p>See you all tomorrow. :)</p><p>Tashi <3</p><p>*<span style="font-size:85%;">I am really against Dress Code, because I believe that a student and their parent should be able to choose what they deem appropriate to wear, as long as it is not offensive or distracting. I think putting rules in place that coincide with conservative values that some families, but certainly not all families, share, without allowing all students and their families a vote in the matter, is unfair, to say the least. I understand that the Dress Code is in place for the emotional and physical protection of some students, but some rules are obviously in place so that the school can make sure the kids don't look "ghetto" or tawdry. But that's a whole other post.<br /></span></p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-20429101961834656272009-09-13T20:24:00.000-07:002009-09-13T20:30:31.409-07:00Review: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sq23emElGVI/AAAAAAAAAPc/r2xD0QSO3-w/s1600-h/9780061431838.jpg"><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381158866021325138" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 139px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sq23emElGVI/AAAAAAAAAPc/r2xD0QSO3-w/s200/9780061431838.jpg" border="0" /></em></a><em>Jellicoe Road</em> by Melina Marchetta<br /><br /><em>"What do you want from me?" he asks. What I want from every person in my life, I want to tell him. More.<br /></em><br /><em>Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham, now seventeen, is finally being confronted with her past. But as the reluctant leader of her boarding school dorm, there isn't a lot of time for introspection. And while Hannah, the closest adult Taylor has to family, has disappeared, Jonah Griggs is back in town, moody stares and all.<br /></em><br />Have you read <em>Jellicoe Road</em>? No? You're failing at life. Ah, ah, ah...failing. I know you don't feel like you're failing, but you must be, because this book was...captivating, complicated, amazing.<br /><br />When I first began <em>Jellicoe Road</em>, I didn't like it at all. It was so confusing. There were all of these things going on that there was no exposition for. I felt like I'd been tossed into the middle of a story. Because I had. But in the best possible way.<br /><br />The story just sort of blossoms. It's so gradual that you hardly realize you're wanting to read it more and more, you're getting in trouble in class because you're reading it instead of paying attention, you're up at 3 a.m. reading it when you should be sleeping. Marchetta feeds you these delicious bits and pieces of each character's past, and they all come together in the most heartfelt and powerful way.<br /><br />Taylor was a confusing character. I couldn't really understand her logic half of the time. There are these territory wars going on in the novel, and she's so worried about them. Only, I didn't see the point. Win or lose, the wars didn't really seem to matter. I think she was using the territory wars as a way of distracting herself from her real problems. They distract her from the fact that her mother left, Hannah's missing, and Jonah Griggs is way more interesting than she'd like him to be.<br /><br />Jonah Griggs is such a serious, complicated character. From the beginning you can tell that while he's trying to act like a jerk, there really is a lot brewing underneath. It's obvious that he and Taylor are totally swooning over each other, and they try to stay enemies because it's easier than facing their feelings. When they finally do, their connection rips right off the page. I may or may not have a literary crush on Jonah Griggs. You can guess. :)<br /><br />Raffy was the general friend character. I honestly don't remember to much about her, except that her personality was really fun and sometimes funny and she was a really caring, genuine friend to Taylor. I really liked Ben. I thought he provided a lot of comedic relief at times and his outlook was great.<br /><br />The book flashes back to the past more and more as it goes on. The friendship between the characters in the past is so genuine and has so much history that I'm surprised their story and Taylor's fit in the same book. Though, in the end, their story and Taylor's story are part of the same story. I really loved how this book kept me guessing as to who in the past was who in the future.<br /><br />I must say, Melina Marchetta has created an amazing work of YA fiction that is very touching and almost alive. I feel like these characters are real people, like if I traveled to Australia right now, I could find them on Jellicoe Road. I definitely commend her for making such a complicated book work so well. It must have been really hard to imagine and create two completely different story lines, making them both so full, and then connect them so perfectly.<br /><br />Plot: 9/10<br />Readability: 9/10<br />Character Development: 9/10<br />Ending: 10/10<br />Writing: 10/10<br /><br />Tashi <3Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-33257546131978026872009-09-12T00:10:00.000-07:002009-09-12T00:16:15.856-07:00New Moon Trailer!With all the fan trailers out there and sneak peeks, I seriously thought I had already seen the New Moon Trailer. :O I. Was. So. Wrong. It's AWESOME! And I can tell from just one line that Dakota Fanning is gonna be kick ass. (She's probably my favorite teen actress.)<br /><br />Anyway...<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2xa_JU995s">here it is</a>....for now. Enjoy :)<br /><br />Tashi <3Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-47933968474507358192009-09-11T21:15:00.000-07:002009-09-11T21:19:04.440-07:009/11, Favorite Quotes, and Vampires<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SqsghRI_9NI/AAAAAAAAAPM/AZd3-3aMS7Y/s1600-h/american+flag.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380429935733109970" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 155px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 116px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SqsghRI_9NI/AAAAAAAAAPM/AZd3-3aMS7Y/s200/american+flag.jpg" border="0" /></a>First of all, I'd just like to take a moment to mention 9/11 and what a huge moment it is in our nation's history. My condolences to anyone who lost family in the tragedy. I know there are a lot of conspiracy theories out there, but I think we all need to set those aside for a day and just honor the people we lost.<br /><br />On a lighter note...Here's a quote Kiki and I really like:<br /><br /><em>"The main effort of arranging your life should be to progressively reduce the amount of time required to decently maintain yourself so that you can have all the time you want for reading." — Norman Rush</em><br /><br />So true.<br /><br />Moving on...<em>The Vampire Diaries</em> premiere.<br /><br />I had homework that night so I Tivoed it (Actually, I have Verizon Fios, so I DVRed it.) and watched it today.<br /><br />It was pretty good. I had never read the books, so I didn't know which qualities the vampires would have. Sort of a mix of <em>Twilight</em>-style vampires and <em>True-Blood</em>-style vampires. The vampires are hot and one's obsessed with the protagonist, but they can glamour and can't enter a house without an invitation and there was something that hinted at burning in the sun, but it was connected to a ring.<br /><br />Anyhow, all in all it was pretty decent for a pilot. More than a little cheesy, but I think most pilots are, compared to later episodes. I'm excited to see what comes of it. Though, I don't see it being as good as <em>True Blood</em>.<br /><br />Tashi <3<br /><br />P.S. For some reason, every time I hear the word "American" now, I think about that part in <em>Inglorious Basterds</em> where the shoot out in the tavern has just happened and the German guy asks "Are you American or British?" and Brad Pitt yells "We're Americans!" in the most proud and hilarious accent ever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-29437969513202412932009-09-09T22:57:00.000-07:002009-09-10T21:14:28.391-07:00I Have a Bone to Pick :/Music on book blogs. grumble grumble With very few exceptions, music on book blogs has become very annoying in my life for a few reasons.<br /><ol><li>We don't have the same taste in music, and your choices are making my ears bleed.</li><li>Why is this page taking forever to load....? Oh. >:[</li><li>How am I supposed to focus on reading what you wrote with that playing?</li></ol><p>Basically, things that slow loading time annoy me. By all means slap a couple widgets and buttons on your page. But do you have to literally fill your sidebar with them, plus have a zillion buttons, plus have music? Seriously, coming from a reader, you'd get more comments if the page didn't take so long to load. By the time it's done I'm so frustrated that all I'm willing to wait for is the window to close.</p><p>No offense to anyone in particular. I know. I'm impatient. Is it just me? Let me know in comments.</p><p><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tashi</span> <3</p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-10915173483243477142009-09-09T20:12:00.000-07:002009-09-09T20:18:34.861-07:00Waitng on WednesdayThe book I'm positively drooling over is <em>Fallout</em> by Ellen Hopkins. <br /><br />It doesn't have a cover or a synopsis yet, but according to <a href="http://teenscenemag.com/bythebook/?p=245">Ellen Hopkins' interview with By The Book Reviews</a>, it will be a sort of continuation of <em>Crank</em> and <em>Glass</em>' Kristina's story, through the eyes of her three children.<br /><br />Must...have...more...Ellen...Hopkins. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">lol</span> Seriously, though, there are still two of her books floating out there that I haven't read. This makes me a sad camper. :( <br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tashi</span> <3Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-24162722440110062722009-09-08T20:05:00.000-07:002009-09-08T21:42:32.497-07:00Tuesday Taste + Rearranging Bookshelves + Vote for Color Online!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SqclCDKXPgI/AAAAAAAAAO0/VRZkKkfIVoU/s1600-h/bad+girls.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379308997056085506" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 129px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SqclCDKXPgI/AAAAAAAAAO0/VRZkKkfIVoU/s200/bad+girls.jpg" border="0" /></a>Today's Tuesday Taste is....<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><em>Bad Girls Don't Die</em> by <a href="http://katiealender.com/">Katie Alender</a>, who pretty much rocks. :D</div><div><br /></div><div>Page...138:</div><div><br /></div><div><em>"Oh God, was it obvious that my heart was pounding? It was like those scenes in movies where the girl thinks the guy's going to kiss her, so she closes her eyes and puckers up. Except I wasn't just puckering my lips-I was puckering my whole soul."</em></div><div><br /></div><div>Ok how adorable was that??</div><div><br /></div><div>Moving right along...</div><div><br /></div><div>Bookshelf Rearranging!!</div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379308582220449314" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 189px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 147px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sqckp5x1xiI/AAAAAAAAAOs/KLdxugGsdnI/s200/DSCI0509.JPG" border="0" /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sqcex9zwYcI/AAAAAAAAAOE/SNQayf3VNrk/s1600-h/DSCI0506.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379302123671413186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sqcex9zwYcI/AAAAAAAAAOE/SNQayf3VNrk/s200/DSCI0506.JPG" border="0" /></a>Before............................................. After </div><div>Before it was just alphabetized, now the top shelf is books I need to review, the second is my TBR pile, the third and fourth are paperbacks, the fifth is hardcovers, and the sixth is textbooks.<br /></div><div><br />Haha! Is your head tilting? Yeah...unfortunately I didn't realize as I turned my camera to the side that the picture would end up sideways.<br /></div></div><div><div>And now...my invisible bookshelf!! Look at the amazing floating books. Ooooo. Ahhhh. Yes. My wall is yellow. No. Not this odd color yellow. It's better in real life. Just trust me. Free imaginary cookies if you can guess which books are on the invisible bookshelf!<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379302514051393106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SqcfIsFmJlI/AAAAAAAAAOM/ccvt0vozNDw/s200/DSCI0510.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>Last but certainly not least...get your but over to the <a href="http://bookbloggerappreciationweek.com/index.php/awards">BBAW polls </a>and vote Color Online most altruistic blog! Seriously. Susan puts in a lot of time and effort gathering columns and reviews from others and writing a bunch of her own. Why? Because she's being the change she wants to see in the world! Go now! Vote for all your favorites!</div><div><br /></div><div>Tashi <3</div><div> </div><div></div><div>P.S. If you want to build your own invisible bookshelf like I did, find out how <a href="http://lifehacker.com/368814/diy-invisible-floating-bookshelf">here</a>. Or you could, you know, buy one, like normal people do. lol<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-33214476000325623822009-09-06T23:36:00.000-07:002009-09-06T23:58:52.758-07:00Review: Defining Twilight + Contest<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SqSqlW42TZI/AAAAAAAAANs/j_ulqMNgaDM/s1600-h/defining-twilight1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378611413763116434" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 129px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SqSqlW42TZI/AAAAAAAAANs/j_ulqMNgaDM/s200/defining-twilight1.jpg" border="0" /></a>Brian Leaf was kind enough to send me a review copy of his vocabulary workbook <em>Defining Twilight</em>.<br /><br />The basic premise of this workbook is pure genius. You look up a word in <em>Twilight</em>, guess what it means based on context, then check to see if you were right. Then you take quizzes on the words.<br /><br />Honestly, I feel like I don't really have a grasp on a word until I see it in context, so this kind of vocab book is perfect for me. It really drives the definitions home.<br /><br />There was only one concern I had with this book. I thought that if it only pulled words from <em>Twilight</em>, I wouldn't be learning much. But just flipping through, I saw plenty of words I didn't know.<br /><br />If you're looking for a vocab book, this is as good as any. Actually, it's better because you'll probably grasp words easier if they're connected to something you're interested in. Every word counts, and you never know what <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">collegeboard</span> will throw at you.<br /><br />Also, <em>Defining New Moon</em> comes out in October, for all the Jacob-lovers like myself out there. I really hope they start to Define the Classics, like <em>Defining Crime and Punishment</em>.<br /><br />If you'd like this book, become a follower, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">then leave</span> your e-mail below for 1 entry.<br /><br />+1 follow Reading in Color<br />+1 follow Color Online<br />+1 refer someone<br />+1 if you were referred<br /><br />Contest ends September 20<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span>!<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Tashi</span> <3<br /><br />P.S. <a href="http://freerice.org/">Free Rice</a> is a great study tool, and for every word you get right, they donate 10 grains of rice to the needy. Also, it adjusts difficulty as you get words right or wrong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-17386531703817631202009-09-05T16:21:00.001-07:002009-09-05T16:26:18.729-07:00Saturday Review: Duplikate<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SqLyk4W-FSI/AAAAAAAAANU/BfSpN_No5WU/s1600-h/duplikate.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378127620451734818" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 132px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SqLyk4W-FSI/AAAAAAAAANU/BfSpN_No5WU/s200/duplikate.jpg" border="0" /></a>This book was provided by <a href="http://onearctours.blogspot.com/">1 ARC Tours</a> :D<br /><br /><em>Duplikate</em> by Cherry Cheva<br /><br /><em>Getting into Yale has been Kate Larson’s dream for years—and being overworked and under-rested is the price of admission. But when she opens her eyes after falling asleep on her keyboard one night, she comes face-to-face with, well, herself.<br /></em><br /><em>Meet Kate’s computer-generated twin. Kate doesn’t know why she’s here or how to put her back where she belongs, but she’s real. And she’s the last thing Kate has time to deal with right now. Unless. . .could having a double be the answer to Kate’s prayers.<br /></em><br /><em>Duplikate</em> was a pretty fun and interesting read. It was light and humorous, a perfect book for summer. It truly depicts the stresses of Senior Year. Although it doesn't seem so at first, the novel is really about enjoying the present, and not getting so focused on a goal that you forget why it was your goal to begin with.<br /><br />Hardworking is an understatement in describing Kate Larson. She was focused and stressed to the point of mania. I found a paradox in reading about Kate because, while I found the character flat, I truly identified with her. Kate is so focused on one goal for most of the novel that I really didn't feel like she developed a personality until the last quarter of the book. Also, though she seemed to be a very serious, focused, and conservative character, some of her thoughts and conversations don't quite fit those descriptions. However, I found her very relatable. I feel like she was dealing with the same sort of stresses I'm dealing with, trying to get into a good college, and, overall, I think Cheva really nailed the mindset of a classic overachiever.<br /><br />Rina was a fun character to read about, with her preppy personality and body glitter. I couldn't help but to find her naive, excited nature endearing. I also liked that she wasn't exactly what I expected. Reading the synopsis, I thought someone exactly like Kate was going to pop up and automatically start helping out. However, Rina was quite the opposite of Kate in many ways, and Kate was truly reluctant to let her help. The only thing I disliked about Rina's character in the novel is that, at one point, she seemed to do an abrupt 180 personality-wise that didn't enhance the book.<br /><br />I really liked Jake. I feel like there was this wonderful guy lurking around the whole book that we didn't get to see enough of. He's the tough-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside guy that you just want to hug.<br /><br />Paul was adorable and supportive, but I found him flat. I feel like he was more of an obstacle to cause struggle in the novel than an actual character.<br /><br />Overall this was a light, fun read that I would recommend for a day when you're busy loafing. It carried a really great message about prioritizing and reflecting on life, while still being humorous. (The author writes for family guy!! :D)<br /><br />Plot: 7/10<br />Readability: 8/10<br />Character Development: 6/10<br />Ending: 7/10<br />Writing: 7/10<br /><br />Tashi <3Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-45968835287262297992009-09-02T07:35:00.000-07:002009-09-05T16:41:08.283-07:00New Meme!: Wednesday Writing<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sp6DBBkDZAI/AAAAAAAAAM8/MDwG5jRe6is/s1600-h/writing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376879058749711362" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 125px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 118px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Sp6DBBkDZAI/AAAAAAAAAM8/MDwG5jRe6is/s200/writing.jpg" border="0" /></a>In honor of a new school year (My first day starts in an hour!) and in honor of me thinking school started at 7:30, when it really starts at 9, I'm starting a new meme. This one is for all the writers and wannabe writers (like me) out there.<br /><br />Wednesday Writing: You come here Wednesdays and I'll give you a few words to write on or a picture to write about (Or you could choose your own.) You interpret the picture as you like. But there are a couple catches.<br /><ol><li>You must include the 2-3 words I choose or write about the picture I post.</li><li>You must tell a story.</li><li>You can't write more than 100 words.</li></ol><p>Leave a comment with a link so I can head over and comment on your wonderful creativity. Someday I'll have a contest for the best one...but who knows when that'll be. I may just surprise you! </p><p>So are you ready? This Wednesday's words are:</p><ol><li><em>clock</em> (because I obviously can't tell time)</li><li><em>first</em></li><li><em>school</em></li></ol><p>My Writing:</p><p>Angie punched the clock, hoping her time card would read 9:00 a.m. Angry red numbers <span style="color:#663300;">screamed 9:17. Late on her first day. "You're late," a peevish voice grumbled from behind her. Mr. Sneely. His reputation had almost made her reconsider switching publishing houses. Almost. </span></p><p><span style="color:#663300;">"Hello Mr. Sneely I'm-"</span></p><p>"Don't let it happen again." His impatience was palpable as he waddled off to his office with a grumpy look on his face. <em>Great</em>, thought Angie. <em>Four years of school and two years in publishing and this is who I have to deal with everyday. I should've majored in biology.</em></p><p>Tashi <3</p><p>P.S. This meme was inspired by my lovely no-longer-my-english-teacher, :( <a href="http://alexfaye.com/">Ms. Fletcher's</a> assignmet for her Expository Reading and Writing Composition class and <a href="http://susanadrian.blogspot.com/">Susan Adrian's </a>Tiara Day Contest.</p><p></p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-48871325200220690182009-08-31T22:35:00.001-07:002009-08-31T22:49:15.674-07:00Monday Musings<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Spyyt-Gx-DI/AAAAAAAAAM0/Gk4k3fqk77c/s1600-h/thinker.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376368558008825906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 109px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/Spyyt-Gx-DI/AAAAAAAAAM0/Gk4k3fqk77c/s200/thinker.jpg" border="0" /></a> Me: Hi...ummm....<br /><br />Also Me: You haven't posted in five days!<br /><br />Me: But I had summer homework to finish and my best friend that I hadn't seen for a really long time moved back and....<br /><br />Also Me: No. You have responsibilities. Interviews and reviews and columns to write, e-mails to respond to, books to read. This is inexcusable.<br /><br />Me: But...But....<br /><br />Also Me: *shaking head*<br /><br />Soo...basically I've been fighting with myself. The problem is I left all of my summer homework to the last minute. *sigh* As always. I still have an essay, 15 or so math problems, and an entire novel to read in about two days. Boooo. But I will get everything done this week-for school and Taste Life Twice. So there will be posts!<br /><br />In less depressing musings...<br /><ol><li>The novel I have to read, <em>Naked Economics</em>, is actually pretty interesting and humorous, for an economic text. I like it better than <em>Crime and Punishment</em>.</li><li>Anne Hathoway is always doing movies that used to be books...<em>Ella Enchanted</em>, <em>Princess Diaries</em>, <em>The Devil Wears Prada</em>, <em>Alice in Wonderland</em>.</li><li>School shopping is just not fun. </li><li>I rearranged my bookshelf and built something cool, which I will show you this week.</li><li>I want to have a huge contest, but I'll probably do it for Christmas.</li><li>I'm 22 books into my Read 50 Books in a Year Goal.</li><li>I recently discovered <a href="http://swaptree.com/">Swaptree</a> and OMG I love it!</li><li>I am really tired.</li><li>Time to go write an essay on the purpose of government....wish me luck! :D</li></ol><p>Tashi<3</p><p><br /></p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-66064974246894860982009-08-26T17:35:00.000-07:002009-08-26T18:10:23.870-07:00Waiting on Wednesday: Tricks by Ellen Hopkins<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SpXVLvv0baI/AAAAAAAAAMk/kSsAiPAYicg/s1600-h/tricks.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374436128108866978" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 143px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SpXVLvv0baI/AAAAAAAAAMk/kSsAiPAYicg/s200/tricks.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Tricks</em> by Ellen Hopkins<br /><br /><em>Five teenagers from different parts of the country. Three girls. Two guys. Four straight. One gay. Some rich. Some poor. Some from great families. Some with no one at all. All living their lives as best they can, but all searching...for freedom, safety, community, family, love. What they don't expect, though, is all that can happen when those powerful little words "I love you" are said for all the wrong reasons.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Five moving stories remain separate at first, then interweave to tell a larger, powerful story -- a story about making choices, taking leaps of faith, falling down, and growing up. A story about kids figuring out what sex and love are all about, at all costs, while asking themselves, "Can I ever feel okay about myself?"</em><br /><em></em><br />Drooool. Okay, so this book has been out for about two days already, but I haven't gotten to a bookstore.<br /><br />Ellen Hopkins is the author I always end up reading when I'm supposed to be doing other things. (I can't help it!) If there's an unread Ellen Hopkins book near me, nothing gets done. So I'm waiting until the school year to buy it.<br /><br />I seriously love books in verse. When I read <em>Crank</em>, the first book I had ever read in verse, (I think) it was like WHAM! Where have you been all my life? So now I own all her books, except <em>Identical</em>. And <em>Tricks</em>.<br /><br />I'm actually thinking of dedicating a whole segment on here to books in verse. Does that sound like a good idea? Let me know in the comments. And if you have any suggestions of books that are in verse, (other than Ellen Hopkins and Sonya Sones) let me know.<br /><br />Tashi <3Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-53583528085978277632009-08-25T20:07:00.000-07:002009-08-25T20:45:48.599-07:00Review: If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SpSnkK20SrI/AAAAAAAAAMc/WQYV8foqyFE/s1600-h/if+you+come.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374104495191247538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 122px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SpSnkK20SrI/AAAAAAAAAMc/WQYV8foqyFE/s200/if+you+come.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em>If You Come Softly</em> by Jacqueline Woodson<br /><br /><em>Jeremiah is confident about who he is -- that is, when he's in his own Brooklyn neighborhood. But when he starts attending a fancy prep school in Manhattan, he realizes that black teenage boys don't exactly fit in there. So it's a surprise when, during his first week of school, he feels an immediate connection with a white girl named Ellie. In one frozen moment their eyes lock, and after that they know they belong together -- despite the fact that she's Jewish and he's black. Their worlds are so different, but to them that's not what matters. Too bad the rest of the world feels differently.</em><br /><br />There are three words that describe this novel perfectly: Epic Romance Win. This novel is so heartfelt and lovely, you'll feel like it's someone you know. The characters are deep, which is surprising in such a quick (181 pg) read. While this is mainly a love story, both Ellie and Miah are people in their own rights, with different issues at home. I really loved both of these characters.<br /><br />Miah is a very likeable character. The way he feels about being black and what it means to him is depicted in a real way. It's interesting to hear his voice and understand how he sees the world. I also loved Miah's relationship with his mother. It was charming and authentic, showing a real connection between the two characters.<br /><br />Ellie is also a very likeable character. She seems to understand what a heavy subject race is in her relationship with Miah, and she notices how people react to the two of them. Her broken relationship with her mother is depicted in a way that makes you empathize with her, and it's great to be able to crawl inside of her head.<br /><br />I admired both of these characters for their bravery. They were fairly well-developed, though there was a little mystery left in them at the end of the novel. This novel's writing was gorgeous and flowed nicely. <br /><br />The only thing I disliked about the novel was the switch from the first-person point of view of Ellie, to the third-person point of view of Miah, chapter after chapter. I would've preferred that the entire novel be in first-person. The switches really threw me off and interrupted the flow of the novel as a whole. Other than that, the book was glorious.<br /><br />If you're looking for a sad, interesting love story (I always am!) head over to Amazon (less than a dollar!) or you're local bookstore and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/You-Come-Softly-Jacqueline-Woodson/dp/0142406015/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251258271&sr=8-1">grab a copy</a>. It is humanly impossible not to love this novel. Seriously.<br /><br />Plot: 8/10<br />Readability: 9/10<br />Character Development: 8/10<br />Ending: 10/10<br />Writing 9/10<br /><br />Tashi <3<br /><br />P.S. If you didn't know yet, some big time YA authors have gotten together to change the world. And of course they're giving away FREE BOOKS! Get over there to enter and <a href="http://www.livingyourfive.com/">Live Your Five</a>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273130903846687843.post-54481920584894132912009-08-24T17:19:00.001-07:002009-08-25T13:59:49.499-07:00Muse- to the-ic Mon-to the-day<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SpM0hNyuX9I/AAAAAAAAAMU/m70hRcirCc0/s1600-h/toguna.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373696525625876434" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 125px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 159px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M8x1ywCw8r4/SpM0hNyuX9I/AAAAAAAAAMU/m70hRcirCc0/s200/toguna.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Ok, so here's my Artist of the Week!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>TOGUNA!!!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>This band I found so interesting I just had to share with you guys my discovery! </div><br /><div>The sound is very different than what's going on in Southern Cali. It's more of a mixture of Folk Rock, Reggae, and Soul. I absolutely LOVE IT! When I hear their music, I think of a warm, hot, and sunny day in a unique, down-to-earth town shopping in an open-air market having a great time. I picture the ocean somewhere near-by and nice, friendly faces laughing lively and enjoying themselves. And there'd be music all around; music that flow the colors red, green, and black as I glance at a pair of sea shell necklaces. Where the air smells of sea salt, happiness and sunshine.</div><br /><div>Basically, TOGUNA puts me in a good mood. =]</div><br /><div>So, you must hear them out!</div><div>You can find some things on youtube.com, but if you'd like a clear song, check them out on <a href="http://www.myspace.com/toguna">www.myspace.com/toguna</a>. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Here's a song they did live in France.</div><br /><div>Yes, its in french, but that just makes them more unique. =]</div><br /><div>[but if you are wondering, yes, they do sing and have songs in english]</div><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUX4YfUr7u4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUX4YfUr7u4</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>And here's an acoustic, live clip of the song Only One</div><br /><div></div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUeHmsiQ2A8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUeHmsiQ2A8</a></div><div></div><div>I hope you guys like them! </div><div></div><div>Don't forget, I love listening to all kinds of things, so if you have any suggestions whatsoever, I would gladly listen. Leave comments or send a message!</div><div></div><em><div></em></div><3 KikiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com2