On the TBR Pile

The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Check out the amazing book trailer below, it totally sells itself:

Cradle's Still Rockin'

I actually watched some of last night's Rock The Cradle live... it has gotten better, more performance driven. The band is more involved. And the song choices better. I'm sad about the double eliminations, especially this round because at least one of my favorite people (Chloe Latanzi, Jesse Blaze Snyder, or Lucy Walsh) will be going. I voted for Lucy this round, because she just blew me away with her version of Fall for You by Secondhand Serenade. Beautiful song and I loved her voice. Just perfection.

I enjoyed Chloe's version of Freak on a Leash (and who doesn't love that song?) and I still think she is the most unique and unusual contender. And I do like me some unusual. But I also feel like I've seen enough to know I like her, she needs to work on controlling her vocals, and when she's polished up a bit I'd totally be buying whatever she's got to sell.

That brings us to Jesse Blaze Snyder. He's ready for something. Not sure what. Not sure I'm ready for the eighties rock star revival. I'd like to see him dress more modern, 'cus he's hot and I don't feel like crushing on a guy in patent leather. Been there, done that, got the t-shirts. So please, Jesse, I know you can do it--dress like you belong int his decade. Thank you! Ring of Fire was rockin' btw.

It's all about your ride...

Every guy knows that chicks dig a sweet ride... but a Chinhook? Come on, Wills... stop reaching into Prince Harry's playbook...

"The prince, second in line to the throne, landed a Chinook helicopter -- normally used for transporting troops -- in a field next to the home of Kate Middleton, according to the News of the World tabloid." CNN.com

You have to watch the video!

Filming has begun...SQUEE!!!

Found this from Trainspotting's Teen Book Review site, she pieced together clips from the filming of Twilight and set them to Paralyzer by Finger Eleven --isn't she an awesome video maker? And just from these tiny clips, I can totally picture the scenes from the book. Very cool. Can't wait. Twilight is probably the only movie I've ever wanted to camp out in front of the theater to be the first to see--so anyone in my general neck of the woods who wants to do the same--let me know and we'll get a posse together (Just remember--I get to be Mrs. Edward Cullen)!

Speaking of books that have been made into movies--what is your take? I enjoy it. Right now I'm reading Fight Club. I saw the movie first, so it may not have quite the impact that it could have. But then again, it may not be nearly as confusing--and while I love the writing, I can see how it might be confusing. Plus I know what is what with you know who.

Going on Recon...

YALSA (did you know they have a cool blog?) and readergirlz are partners in Operation Teen Book Drop (TBD). To celebrate April 17, 2008, Support Teen Literature Day, they've organized a massive, coordinated release of 10,000 publisher-donated YA books into the top pediatric hospitals across the country!

How cool, huh?

They've also rallied multitudes of teen lit authors (like me) to drop an autographed copy of their book somewhere in their community. So I'm getting suited up in my pink camo and going on a scouting mission for the perfect location to Rock the Drop... I may even get a Vanilla Frap while I'm on recon...

If you know an ill or injured teen or one with sick family members or friends, the following books are recommended by YALSA librarians:

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever 1793.
Aronson, Sarah. Head Case.
Bingham, Kelly. Shark Girl.
Brashares, Ann. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
Crutcher, Chris. Deadline.
Downham, Jenny. Before I Die.
Hautman, Pete. Sweetblood.
Halpern, Julie. Get Well Soon.
Hamilton, Bethany. Soul Surfer: a true story of faith, family, and fighting to get back on the board.
Hopkins, Ellen. Impulse.
Koss, Amy Goldman. Side Effects.
Mass, Wendy. Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall.
McDaniel, Lurlene. Six Months to Live.
Murdock, Catherine Gilbert. The Off Season.
Napoli, Donna Jo. Breath.
Picoult, Jodi. My Sister's Keeper.
Rapp, Adam. Under the Wolf, Under the Dog.
Runyon, Brent. The Burn Journals.
Sonnenblick, Jordan. Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie.
Voight, Cynthia. Izzy, Willy-Nilly.
Weaver, Will. Defect.
Westerfeld, Scott. Peeps.
Werlin, Nancy. Double Helix.
Zevin, Gabrielle. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

The books listed here are all about teens whose lives are affected by illness and injury, either their own or a loved one's. Some of these books are realistic fiction, some nonfiction, some historical fiction, some science fiction and fantasy. By reading these books, ill and injured teens, or those with sick family members or friends, will know that they are not alone in their battles against disease.

A Thin Line Between Love and Hate

So I've been hard at work on Book #2. And really banging my head on how to tell the story. What POV, How many POV's, how to handle past events, etc... and every day I either am soooo in love with this project or I HATE!!! it with a fiery passion.

I'm pretty sure I felt the same way with UNDONE, so I'm not going to try not to panic. BTW--today I'm in LOVE LOVE LOVE with it... apparently my love is as fleeting as a soap star's, though.

Jordan Woolley, AKA "Nick" on As The World Turns

I LOVE him for being so gorgeous and I hate him for leaving me after only 67 short episodes. Yes, it has been like 2 years (which is 14 in Soap Years) since he left, but I'm not over it.

Not be a long shot.

Super Cool Stuff

Check it out--Flamingnet Young Adult Book Reviews has made UNDONE a Top Choice Book. I even get a little button and everything--go ahead and click it... I'll wait :O)

Super cool, right?!?!

So this weekend I checked out Cradle of Rock (MTV) off my DVR list, and was pleasantly surprised. I'd set it to record, but I thought it was one of those bio type shows--like E! True Hollywood or something. But it's like American Idol for the kids of rock stars. They all did okay, but I didn't agree with the judges on anyone, LOL. And I would've like it better if they didn't have a cheesy Karaoke backdrop and instead did something more like what Rock Star (INXS, Supernova) did. Anyway, my fave is Olivia Newton-John's daughter Chloe Lattanzi. I think she has the most unique look and sound. Granted she needs some work--I kept expecting her voice to go one way and it went the other, which was jarring--but everyone else just kind of had that cover song feel. She was an original.

Thursday Morning Book Club (postponed to Friday)

It's been a busy week with a few really exciting snoppy dancing things that I'm totally gruntled about. In fact it was a tressing and turbing week (aside from air conditioner repairs). Am I making no sense? That's because I'm currently reading The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. In it you'll find all sorts of neglected positives like gruntled, tressing and turbing. And even though I enjoy a good disturbing read, I'm totally enjoying being tressed by this one!



Also on the reading list... I went to the book launch of my dear friend Jordan Dane's No One Heard Her Scream and naturally got sucked into the Best of Books Young Adult section. I picked up an autographed copy of Peak by Roland Smith (not sure how a book in Oklahoma got autographed by an author from Oregon--but YAY me!) and I also bought The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Don't know why it has taken me this long to pick it up as it is touted to be "bitterly funny" among other great things.
Did anyone notice that two of the books have dogs on the cover?