Halloween...just another day

I have a confession.

Halloween...not really my thing.

I don't really get into all the costume-wearing, party-going, pumpkin-carving, haunted hay-riding affairs. I'm just as content to let the calendar roll from October into November with the same old normal routine that brought me into the month.

Don't get me wrong. I don't hate Halloween. I have nothing against witches, vampires, ghosts, and goblins...in fact I prefer the paranormal and creepy in most of my reading material. And I do acknowledge the holiday for the sake of my 2 kids (who have been planning their costumes for trick-or-treating since July).

But I don't wear costumes myself. I don't decorate. I don't do the parties, or the hayrides, or the haunted houses. I very rarely have carved pumpkins over the years (and when I do it's only for the kids benefit). To me, it's just never been a big deal.

Why?

I guess you could blame my childhood for this one. This picture is of me and my little brother a long long time ago (and yes I said little brother—my mom thought it would be cute to send him in pigtails and a tutu but that's another blog post).


This was one of the only times I ever trick-or-treated as a kid because for a great chunk of my growing up years, my family did not acknowledge Halloween. I think it was a part religious, part safety thing. It was Detroit, Michigan in the 80s (where half the town burned to the ground the night before on what was known as "Devil's Night"). So for me there were no costumes, no ringing doorbells, no bags full of candy.

When I was 11 we moved from Michigan to Minnesota (on Halloween—go figure) to a quiet suburban town where nobody had ever heard the term "Devil's Night." And my parents changed their minds.

But then there was the Halloween I got pneumonia....

And the Halloween, several older bullies jumped my brother and his friend ripping their costumes to shreds and taking their candy....

And the Halloween we got dumped with 2 1/2 feet of snow....

Yeah, it never quite caught on for me...

What about you—will tonight be low-key or do you have big plans?

Crave by Melissa Darnell

Crave by Melissa Darnell

Book Blurb (from Goodreads): Savannah Colbert has never known why she's so hated by the kids of the Clann. Nor can she deny her instinct to get close to Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman. Especially when she recovers from a strange illness and the attraction becomes nearly irresistible. It's as if he's a magnet, pulling her gaze, her thoughts, even her dreams. Her family has warned her to have nothing to do with him, or any members of the Clann. But when Tristan is suddenly everywhere she goes, Savannah fears she's destined to fail.

For years, Tristan has been forbidden to even speak to Savannah Colbert. Then Savannah disappears from school for a week and comes back…different, and suddenly he can't stay away. Boys seem intoxicated just from looking at her. His own family becomes stricter than ever. And Tristan has to fight his own urge to protect her, to be near her no matter the consequences….

Harlequin Teen
416 pages.

I have a confession. I picked up this book because the back blurb intrigued me not completely realizing what it was about. And then I got a few chapters in and the "V" word popped up and I nearly set it down. I was never a huge fan of vampires to begin with and they've sooo been overdone. I mean, can't we just put a stake in it already?

But I'm soooo glad I did not set this book down. Because it was awesome. It was a dash of Twilight, The Secret Circle, Evernight, and Romeo and Juliet. Once I got into it, I could not put the book down and found myself craving more long after I read the last page.

Quote I Loved:

"I understood then why humans have noses. So we can find each other to kiss in the dark."

Why you should read this book:

• YA is full of brooding, mysterious, bad-boy heroes, but I've always been a fan of the sweet guy. And Tristan is a sweetheart.
• Tristan's older sister Emily. She's wise, helpful, and kick-ass...and I'm a sucker for brother/sister relationships.
• The parents. Maybe it's because I am one, but I always love to see the parents make appearance. I love it even more when you can see they love their children, but they are also real—warts and all.
• A star-crossed love. This book isn't all vampires. Nope. Throw in some witches (actually lots of witches) and a long, long history of animosity between them, and two young lovers caught in the middle. Oooh yes, totally my kind of story.
  

I recommend this book — even if you're sick of vampires. The beginning was on the slow side, but the middle and the ending more than make up for it.

I cannot wait for the sequel, The Covet, coming out in 2012.

The Third Campaigner's Challenge

The Third Campaigner's challenge kicked off last week, and I definitely thought this was the toughest of the three. I almost didn't do it, but these have been so much fun, I thought I'd give it a whirl.



So, the challenge was...

Write a blog post in 300 words or less, excluding the title. The post can be in any format, whether flash fiction, non-fiction, humorous blog musings, poem, etc. The blog post should show:

• that it’s morning,

• that a man or a woman (or both) is at the beach

• that the MC (main character) is bored

• that something stinks behind where he/she is sitting

• that something surprising happens.

Just for fun, see if you can involve all five senses AND include these random words: "synbatec," "wastopaneer," and "tacise." (NB. these words are completely made up and are not intended to have any meaning other than the one you give them).

And here is my entry (in a mere 157 words)...

Maye and Harold's Winter Vacation

“Another synbatec day, Harold,” Maye said as she leaned back on her elbows. A layer of sweat coated her puffy cheeks and grainy bits of sand crept into the generous folds of her skin.

“I think we both could use a bath. Don’t you agree?” Maye asked wrinkling her nose as she breathed in the now familiar sickly scent of salt, fish, and rotten sewage. “And maybe some wastopaneer for breakfast?”

Loud waves crashed ashore.

“No, no, Harold. I agree, although you could be more tacise about it.” Maye brushed a thin gray strand of hair off her cheek before flexing her feet and digging her toes into the hot sand. “You can wipe that smile off your face now. You were right. We should’ve gone to Vegas.”

Harold continued to smile from his faded and frayed blue lawn chair a few feet behind Maye. His empty eyes stared straight ahead from his pale frozen bloated body.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Book Blurb (from Goodreads): It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

Scholastic Press
401 pages.

I've been looking forward to this book for months now. I enjoyed the Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy and the idea of water horses intrigued me. And when Maggie described this as the book she was meant to write, well October 18th couldn't come fast enough.

Quote I Loved:

"Most people hesitate between steps or pause or are somehow uneven about the process. Whether that process is wrapping a leg or eating a sandwich or just living life. But with Sean, there's never a move he's not sure of, even if it means not moving at all." (Page 289)

Why you should read this book:

• Setting. I would recommend this book for just the setting itself. Through Maggie's brilliant writing, the Island of Thisby comes to life. The sights, the sounds of the sea. The horses. The townspeople. I salivated while reading the description of the "November Cake". I believe I will now be searching for Thisby for the rest of my life...
  
• Characters. A spunky heroine, a mysterious hero, an older brother fighting demons, and a quirky adorable younger brother along with several colorful residents and two horses to root for.
• Writing. Maggie is a brilliant writer and her skills are evident in every line throughout this book. Her prose is like music...lyrical and hauntingly sweet.
• The Ending. It's beautiful.

Although, it's not honestly not my favorite book by this author (probably because there was no Cole), it was still a beautiful read and definitely worth the money and time.

I recommend this book — especially to fans of Maggie's other books and horse lovers.

I look forward to checking out her next novel — "the magical one".

Road Trip Wednesday

Road Trip Wednesday is a 'Blog Carnival' over at YA Highway where a weekly question to answer on your own blog is given out.

This Week's Question: What's your numero uno reason for writing?

Hmmm. Maybe it's...

Because I love it. Yes, I do love it. But there have been days, weeks, even months where I've hated it. Where the last thing I've wanted to do is stare at my blank computer screen.

Because I'm passionate about books. Also true. My shelves are crumbling under the weight of the books I own. I have my library card number memorized. Since the time I was a little girl, there is no store in the world I am more thrilled to walk into than a bookstore. But most days I look at the sheer overwhelming number of titles and choices and I wonder, why write? What do I have to say that hasn't already been said?

Because I want to inspire others (mainly my daughters). Oooh yes. But then there are those noninspiring days (and there are many many of those) where I'm frustrated by the latest scene or latest character or latest rejection slip. Where I'm in desperate need of a shower and living on wine and chocolate and have that crazy look in my eyes. Definitely not inspiring.

Because it makes me happy. Yeah, somedays writing makes me happy. And some days it makes me miserable, depressed, insecure, angry, and just plain crazy.

So what is the number one reason I write?

Because I have to. For me it's like breathing. It's part of who I am. No matter how hard I've tried to give it up, to walk away, I'm like a boomerang.

Me and writing...we go together.

What's New: Pie & Awards

In my house, date night means stealing an hour away at the local Baker's Square for coffee and pie to discuss what's new and what we're looking forward to. So, here's this weeks pie, Pink Ribbon Chocolate Strawberry, which just so happens to be the pie of the month. As a chocolate strawberry lover I have to say it was pretty yummy. And very very pink. Oh, how I love pink.

And so now that we've got the pie...

What's New

Awards. I have two new awards...well maybe not so new since I received these a while back. First up, the fabulous Sheri L. Swift over at Finding Joy in the Journey awarded me the Liebster Blog Award.


The rules are:

1. Show your appreciation to the bloggers who gave you the award by linking back to them.

2. Reveal your five picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

3. Post the award on your blog.

4. Bask in the camaraderie of the most supportive people on the internet ~ other writers.

5. And best of all ~ have bloggity fun and spread the love.

So to Sheri - a huge THANK YOU! And to everyone else, if you're not already following her...run (don't walk) to her fabulous blog. And check out her mermaid book, Legend of the Mer.

And to pass it on...

1. K.S. Collier
2. Niiganab
3. Jessica Salyer
4. Amber
5. and if you have less than 200 followers and haven't received a Liebster Award, then YOU!

Also Julie Fedderson at Gypsy in My Soul awarded me the Blog on Fire Award. First, if you are not following Julie's blog you are majorly missing out. It's fun, informative, and never ceases to make me laugh. Second, THANK YOU Julie!


Part of the deal was to share 7 facts about yourself. I've shared 10 here.

And to pass this on...

1. Jenn at Jennifer Baker-Henry. Jen is a fabulous writer and she bakes too. Be sure to check out her recipes for book-inspired cookies. I'm looking forward to whipping up some of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone cookies to indulge in while I read the book.

2. Sheri L Swift at Finding Joy in the Journey. Her latest post is a hauntingly beautiful poem called The Unknown. Be sure to check it out.

3. Rebekah Loper. She is currently sharing her outlining with index cards secret. And as I'm currently striving to be a more organized outliner, it couldn't have come at a better time :)

What I'm Looking Forward To

1. New Releases this week...

















2. I'm also highly anticipating the premiere of Once Upon A Time on Sunday on ABC...which in my world means this show is doomed.




So what's new in your world? And what are you looking forward to?

Don't Blink

Several years ago, while my husband was at work, his boss called me. It was five in the morning and when the ringing phone woke me up, I knew it wasn't a good thing. Nobody ever calls with good news at five in the morning.

Thankfully, everything was okay, and I can't say I really remember what he said to me that morning. What I do vividly remember is how slow he talked. How every word seemed to drag into eternity. How badly I wanted to reach through the phone and grip his neck and shake him until he told me whether or not he was about to rip my world apart. I hate that excruciating moment between when you know something is wrong but not what...

It happened again on Sunday. This time my mom was on the other end of the line and it was early afternoon rather than early morning, but I could hear the panic in her voice. And a thousand horrible thoughts and images flashed through my mind before she spoke.

Uncle Roger died this morning. It took me several moments to process her words...to even know who she was talking about. Uncle Roger?

And then the floodgates opened and the memories came. The Uncle Roger of my childhood summers. The one we drove to visit in Wisconsin. The one who helped my brother and I catch fireflies and taught me how to play badminton. The one who teased me relentlessly (but in that twinkle-in-the-eye-I-love-you way).

He is scattered across my journal entries of the summer when I first read the Diary of Anne Frank and decided to keep a diary of my own. His voice echoes across the videos I took from the camcorder glued to my right hand during the summer I wanted to be a filmmaker. He is there during the summer of my first crush and during the summer of my first heartbreak.

Somewhere around my fifteenth summer, the memories fade. While my world was growing and expanding, a tragedy shrunk his. And our worlds never touched again.

I always thought I'd still see him sometime. He lived 362 miles from me. That's 6 hours. I could conceivably drive to his house and back twice in one day. And he was still young...still healthy...

Life is short. We all know that. But sometimes in the craziness of our everyday lives we forget. Writers especially. We can so easily get lost in the worlds and places that we create inside our heads. Our imaginations are rich and our stories consume us, and that's all great. I wouldn't trade that for anything.

But sometimes we need to take a break and step away from our character's lives and exist in the life going on around us.

Before it's too late. Before the phone rings.

Road Trip Wednesday

Today's question over at YA Highway is...

What supporting character from a YA book would you most like to see star in their own novel?


I'm going with Neville Longbottom. I'm a total sucker for the underdog. Everybody from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to his own grandma had counted Neville out.




So when Neville stood up to Voldemort and beheaded Nagini...by far one of my favorite parts of the entire series, and why I think Neville deserves his own book.