So you've probably been worndering...

...just where I disappeared to. Yeah, its been about a month since my last post. So what's my excuse? Well, I've been busy, and unfortunately real life gets in the way of me doing what's fun. So here's what happened. Like you may remember, last semester for me was swamped. I finally made it through and I had to go home for two weeks.

In the meantime, I've started a podcast, which takes up a lot of my time. Time I may have normally spent blogging was spent recording, editing, and posting shows. So if you're interested in that, you can go check out my new podcast. It's all about Webkinz; so if you don't know what they are, you probably won't be interested in the show. ;-) I hope that's not really what I sound like, but I've been told the computer makes the shows sound completely different than my actual voice. Go figure.

The other thing on my plate since the semester ended is that I'm finally taking place in the Disney College program. I started a new blog just for Disney-related posts, so if you'd like to see what it's like to be a college student at WDW, I'd love for you to check out my new blog called Disney World Girl.

Now, that being said, I have a ton of posts rattling around in my head that I'm dying to write. I'm going to try super hard to update this blog a little more, but if I don't, at least now you know where I am. I'm even behind in my reviews for YABC (I've got about seven that I've read and just need to sit down and write the silly things), so I'm not promising anything at this point. But please don't desert me completely, dear readers. I love blogging to much to give it up completely. :-)

As far as the Young Adult Literature Challenge, I'm going to extend it another month to May 20th. Why the change? Well, obviously I missed the deadline. And for another thing, I didn't get a chance to read everyone's wrap up stuff. So I'll post a Mr. Linky in a few weeks, and you can tell me all about your experiences. And if you haven't signed up, well, here's a good chance.

You know, it's good to be back.... even just for a little while.

Random Subject: Podcasts

Okay, so this isn’t really book related necessarily…but it can be!

I recently discovered the joy of podcasts. Okay, so it was really this summer, but I thought I had posted this ages ago. Obviously it never made it. Anyway…

If you don’t know what podcasts are, they are like mini radio or audio clips that can be downloaded to your computer and MP3 players (like an iPod) for you to listen to at youre leisure. That probably isn’t the best definition, since these programs can vary so widely in their content (ANYONE can make these!), so if you’re still confused you should probably go Google a definition.

My brother introduced me to the world of podcasts. For those of you who read this blog regularly, you know how much of a Disney fan I am. Brandon (my brother) introduced me to a podcast called Inside the Magic. This show is a purely Disney-related podcast, and it’s really great. Well, once I got started I couldn’t stop. You’d be amazed at what you can find out there. There was even a Podcast Audio Tour available to people when we went to view the Post Parade viewing of the Tournament of Roses Parade floats in January. Very cool!

A lot of these are available from iTunes for free. You don’t even need to have an iPod to download or listen to podcasts. I do have one, which makes it even more fun since I can listen to shows when I’m walking uphill to class and back, but that’s beside the point.

So you know how I mentioned earlier that this could be book-related? Here’s how. Once you start looking for podcasts, you’ll see them pop up everyway, including in the book industry. For those of you who don’t know about it, one of our very own kidlitosphere bloggers has been producing book reviews via a podcast called Just One More Book! The other one I can think of off the top of my head (and it’s great, so you should go download it) is a podcast series produced by Random House interviewing Tamora Pierce (one of my all-time favorite authors), Christopher Paolini, and Phillip Pullman. You can find a link to it above, or just search for it in iTunes. HarperCollines has also gotten on the podcast bandwagon lately, with an author podcast for both their children's and teen books.

I’m sure there is way more out there, you just have to find them. If you know of one, or stumble across something good, send me an email and let me know. I’d love to help spread the word, and chances are good that I’ll eventually become addicted to the show too.

Random: Am I the only one who hasn't heard of this?

So I'm doing research for a magazine article in one of my classes about the ghosts that supposedly haunt Hampton Court Palace in England. I'm thinking mostly about Catherine Howard (Henry VIII's fifth wife) who has been spotted running down a room known as the Haunted Gallery shrieking for her life to be spared (she was beheaded shortly thereafter).

But this I didn't know. Maybe I just hadn't heard about this because I'm not a ghost enthusiast, but apparently there was a ghostly spotting in October 2003. You can read more about the incident here, but this is the video that is "proof" of the incident. Kinda spooky, even if it isn't real....

Update: Brandon Mull

Okay, so now I finally have time to catch you all up on my meeting with Brandon Mull (if you need a refresher about why I’m posting this, you can read the first post here).

We decided to meet over dinner (Me, Brandon Mull, and his sister Summer) so that he could be close to the store where the book signing happened that night. The meeting was set for 5:00, I got home from class at 3:40. So what did I do with all that time?

I fussed about my appearance. Anyone from my family or my roommates can tell you I’m not one to worry about looks, but I fussed and primped for over an hour. I think my roommates were quite entertained by the whole show, actually. I was so nervous I was about to hyperventilate. After all, this was only my second time meeting an author, and it would be for almost a whole hour.

As usual, it turned out I was worried about nothing. Both of them are really nice, so that’s always a plus. Besides, once I get started talking about books, I really can’t stop. :-) We talked a lot about the blogging world (since that’s why he wanted to meet with me), and I couldn’t resist discussing his books. I have a one track mind, I guess.

So overall, here’s my thoughts about the whole experience:
First of all, the steakhouse in my town has really good strawberry lemonade. :-)

Secondly, Brandon Mull is a very down-to-earth guy. He seems almost surprised (but happy, of course) that his books are doing so good. And by the way, if you read the Fablehaven series, don’t forget that the new one comes out in April (and if you don’t read them, go start. Now!). He assures me they get better and better as the series goes on, and the fourth should be out sometime next year.

One good thing about the whole experience is that I have finally managed to lose my residual guilt over reading YA books. When we were talking about blogging, he asked me what types of books I enjoyed reading most, and I admitted that I “never grew out of Young Adult lit.” His answer was “neither did I.” Isn’t that the best ever!

Well, that’s about all I can think about right now to tell. I think I covered most of it. If you have questions about what I missed let me know.

And Brandon, if you read this, thank you so much for the experience!

Many Many Updates

Whew! It’s been a busy weekend. I had another hour 6 Genetics test this weekend, in addition to all my other homework… *sigh*

But there is good news! I had enough time to update all the lists that keep track of what I do on this blog. This was done in anticipation of whole slew of new posts I hope to be posting soon. So now you can see the updated review list, book lists list (awkward name, I know), poetry list, and the progress I’ve made on both the 888 Challenge and the A to Z Challenge.

I know I promised you a post about my meeting with Brandon Mull on Wednesday, and it is coming, I promise. Right after I slog through the rest of my homework pile… I’m still writing the post up, but as soon as I have it written I will post it.

And speaking of Brandon Mull, you should check out Teens Read Too’s March contest from Shadow Mountain. They are picking fifty (50) winners this month, and one of the prizes is the first two books in the Fablehaven series. Very cool!

Until my homework dragon is defeated… Happy Reading!

New contest!

So I'm sitting here and catching up on my blogs while I wait for my meeting with Brandon Mull, and I come across this fantastic contest. Head over to The Story Siren to enter to win a copy of of the "Study" series by Maria V. Snyder. I haven't read these yet, but they sound excellent!

Author Giddiness

So you know how I was super excited to meet Orson Scott Card last semester? Well, this is even better.

On Wednesday, I get to meet Brandon Mull, author of the Fablehaven series. Want to know the best part? I get to meet with him one on one.

O.o

Can you say shock? And excitement. Lots of it.

Wish me luck, fellow bloggers. More reports when I come back.

Poetry Friday: e e cummings

We're studying e e cummings in my American Lit class right now. So I thought this was appropriate.

anyone lived in a pretty how town by e e cummings
anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn’t he danced his did.

Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn’t they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone’s any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

Love is in the Air...

This is what my college campus looks like from Feb. 14th through the end of Spring semester:




Happy Valentine's Day to those of you who celebrate. I take more of a Charlie Brown standpoint for this holiday, but I think I'm in the minority... :-)

Bad News

Well, I dislocated my knee again last night. Yeah, again. This is the fourth time. I’m in a fair amount of pain, and I may be away from my computer for awhile. Just so everyone knows where I’ve gone. :-)

Poetry Friday: Snow White

I had so much fun with last week's poem that I found another one:

Snow White by Andrea Hollander Budy
It was actually one of the dwarfs
who kissed her—Bashful,
who still won't admit it.
That is why she remained in the forest
with all of them and made up
the story of the prince. Otherwise,
wouldn't you be out there now
scavenging through wildflowers,
mistaking the footprints of your own
children for those little men?
And if you found some wild apples
growing in the thickest part, if no one
were looking, wouldn't you
take a bite? And pray
some kind of magic sleep
would snatch you
from the plainness
of your life?

A Tribute to a Great Man

Glenn Beck says it all in this video:


May I strive to follow Gordon B. Hinckley's great example.


We thank thee, O God, for a prophet
To guide us in these latter days.
We thank thee for sending the gospel
To lighten our minds with its rays.
We thank thee for every blessing
Bestowed by thy bounteous hand.
We feel it a pleasure to serve thee
And love to obey thy command.

Text: William Fowler, 1830–1865
Music: Caroline Sheridan Norton, 1808–ca. 1877

Poetry Friday: Cinderella

Since I love retold fairy tales, and since Valentine's Day is approaching, I thought this poem was appropriate. Please note that this poem is based on the Grimms' German version of Cinderella, which you can find here. I hope you enjoy.

Cinderella by Anne Sexton
You always read about it:
the plumber with the twelve children
who wins the Irish Sweepstakes.
From toilets to riches.
That story.

Or the nursemaid,
some luscious sweet from Denmark
who captures the oldest son's heart.
from diapers to Dior.
That story.

Or a milkman who serves the wealthy,
eggs, cream, butter, yogurt, milk,
the white truck like an ambulance
who goes into real estate
and makes a pile.
From homogenized to martinis at lunch.

Or the charwoman
who is on the bus when it cracks up
and collects enough from the insurance.
From mops to Bonwit Teller.
That story.

Once
the wife of a rich man was on her deathbed
and she said to her daughter Cinderella:
Be devout. Be good. Then I will smile
down from heaven in the seam of a cloud.
The man took another wife who had
two daughters, pretty enough
but with hearts like blackjacks.
Cinderella was their maid.
She slept on the sooty hearth each night
and walked around looking like Al Jolson.
Her father brought presents home from town,
jewels and gowns for the other women
but the twig of a tree for Cinderella.
She planted that twig on her mother's grave
and it grew to a tree where a white dove sat.
Whenever she wished for anything the dove
would drop it like an egg upon the ground.
The bird is important, my dears, so heed him.

Next came the ball, as you all know.
It was a marriage market.
The prince was looking for a wife.
All but Cinderella were preparing
and gussying up for the event.
Cinderella begged to go too.
Her stepmother threw a dish of lentils
into the cinders and said: Pick them
up in an hour and you shall go.
The white dove brought all his friends;
all the warm wings of the fatherland came,
and picked up the lentils in a jiffy.
No, Cinderella, said the stepmother,
you have no clothes and cannot dance.
That's the way with stepmothers.

Cinderella went to the tree at the grave
and cried forth like a gospel singer:
Mama! Mama! My turtledove,
send me to the prince's ball!
The bird dropped down a golden dress
and delicate little slippers.
Rather a large package for a simple bird.
So she went. Which is no surprise.
Her stepmother and sisters didn't
recognize her without her cinder face
and the prince took her hand on the spot
and danced with no other the whole day.

As nightfall came she thought she'd better
get home. The prince walked her home
and she disappeared into the pigeon house
and although the prince took an axe and broke
it open she was gone. Back to her cinders.
These events repeated themselves for three days.
However on the third day the prince
covered the palace steps with cobbler's wax
and Cinderella's gold shoe stuck upon it.
Now he would find whom the shoe fit
and find his strange dancing girl for keeps.
He went to their house and the two sisters
were delighted because they had lovely feet.
The eldest went into a room to try the slipper on
but her big toe got in the way so she simply
sliced it off and put on the slipper.
The prince rode away with her until the white dove
told him to look at the blood pouring forth.
That is the way with amputations.
They just don't heal up like a wish.
The other sister cut off her heel
but the blood told as blood will.
The prince was getting tired.
He began to feel like a shoe salesman.
But he gave it one last try.
This time Cinderella fit into the shoe
like a love letter into its envelope.

At the wedding ceremony
the two sisters came to curry favor
and the white dove pecked their eyes out.
Two hollow spots were left
like soup spoons.

Cinderella and the prince
lived, they say, happily ever after,
like two dolls in a museum case
never bothered by diapers or dust,
never arguing over the timing of an egg,
never telling the same story twice,
never getting a middle-aged spread,
their darling smiles pasted on for eternity.
Regular Bobbsey Twins.
That story.

2007: Book Reflections

Here it is, the last of my 2007 posts. Happy dance! It took me a month into 2008 to get this posted, but here it is at last.

The purpose of this post is to look back on the things I read in 2007. It was certainly a busy year for me; I read 115 books totaling over 21,000 pages. That’s a lot of reading. And yet, I’m still playing catch-up… *sigh*

Here’s a list of my favorites from this year. Yes, I know that I haven’t written reviews for many of these yet, but they are coming! And while you wait for the reviews, you may want to click over and check the books out on Amazon.com anyway. Trust me, these are all worth reading.

Aftershocks by William Lavender
The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition by Lewis Carroll
Bad Girls Club by Judy Gregerson
Cinderella illustrated by Kinuko Y. Craft
Flight Volume 2
Forging the Sword (The Farsala Trilogy) by Hilari Bell
Full Moon, Volume 1: O Sagashite (Full Moon) by Arina Tanemura
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City: Inside the Shadow City (Kiki Strike) by Kristen Miller
Penguin's Special Christmas Treeillustrated by Molly Idle
Public Enemy Number Two: Diamond Brother Mystery #2 (Diamond Brothers Mysteries) by Anthony Horowitz
Secrets of Disney's Haunted Mansion by Doombuggies.com
Sense and Sensibility (Oxford World's Classics) by Jane Austen
South By Southeast: The Diamond Brothers (Diamond Brothers Mysteries) by Anthony Horowitz
Terrier: The Legend of Beka Cooper #1 (Beka Cooper) by Tamora Pierce
The Twelve Dancing Princesses illustrated by Kinuko Y. Craft
Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb (Kiki Strike) by Kristen Miller
The Persian Cinderella by Shirley Climo
The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde
The Safe-Keeper's Secret (Firebird) by Sharon Shinn
Sisters of Isis: The Summoning (Sisters of Isis #1) by Lynne Ewing

And for those of you who are wondering just where all those pages came from…here’s a (mostly) complete slideshow of everything I read! I didn’t include those things which aren’t on Amazon.com (for obvious reasons) but it’s still a pretty big list. If nothing else, I like watching just to revel in the sheer numbers of these books…

2007: Blogging Reflections

So I know I promised the rest of my 2007 posts awhile ago, but it has taken this long to be able to write these up! So here’s my second post, hopefully to be followed by my third before long.

My life as a blogger was dramatically changed in 2007. My first real blogging project was the 2006 Cybils, which really introduced me into the blogging world. After that, it was only a matter of time before I really got involved.

I’ll admit, I’ve been lax on posting reviews lately. Part of the problem is that I just don’t have time to write them anymore. But I did really well in the beginning of last year. Hopefully someday soon I’ll have a nice long free day to get caught up on all those reviews. That’s one of my blogging resolutions for 2008…I promise!

My post about headless covers in February marked the first post I had with a significant number of commenters…how fun! I admit it was a fun post to write, and I still enjoy looking for covers that follow this trend. Perhaps 2008 will bring a follow-up post…

I also took my first challenge last year, the Spring Reading Thing. Since then I can’t seem to get enough of challenges. While there are a lot that I don’t participate in, I do dabble in a few, especially if I think that I it won’t be too hard to accomplish. It’s even inspired me to host my own challenges, including the currently open Young Adult Literature Challenge.

Speaking of challenges, I also hosted a summer writing challenge for the first time. The theme was retold fairy tales, which are some of my absolute favorite tales. We got quite a few good entries, and if you haven’t ever read these, you may want to head over to the post and check it out.

One of my absolute favorite posts this past year was the Are You a Bibliophile? quiz I found on Shannon Hale’s website. It was absolutely hilarious, and I still enjoy going back and looking at it. And if it’s your first time seeing the quiz, just know that I’m even more guilty of being book-addicted than I was then.

I hope you have enjoyed this little trip down blogging memory lane. And if you didn’t, well then I hope you keep coming back to read the blog anyway! Here’s to a wonderful blogging year in 2008!

Huge Book Giveaway!

If you have never heard of Bookburger, now might be a good time to check it out. This YA book blog has all sorts of fun reviews, interviews, and trivia to offer. Plus, right now they're offering a HUGE contest. So you should check it out. You really should...

Help! Fundraising Ideas?

My brother is currently in need of help. He’s trying to earn enough money so that he can go and play at Disneyland with his school band. Does anyone have any good ideas for ways that a 14-year-old can raise money for a school fieldtrip? The school’s not really doing anything to offset the cost, and we can’t afford the ticket by itself.

Any ideas would help immensely! Just leave me a comment or send me an email at shadyglade(AT)mail.com. Thanks!

The Young Adult Literature Challenge

Well, thanks to my previous post about my YA Lit class this semester, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. It’s definitely going to be a challenge to get through all the required reading, but it’s going to be a lot of fun.

So in the spirit of Young Adult Literature, I’ve created the Young Adult Literature Challenge. If you’ve ever wanted the experience of taking a YA lit class in college, here’s your chance to participate along with me!

Rules:
1. The Challenge runs from whenever you sign up until April 20th, 2008.

2. Feel free to combine with other challenges.

3. You must read at least one book that covers each of these 9 categories:

• Contemporary/Realistic Fiction
• Poetry, Drama, or Humor (any of these will work)
• Sports, Mystery, Supernatural/Paranormal (any of these will work)
• Fantasy or Science Fiction
• Historical Fiction
• Nonfiction
• Classic “juvenile” fiction (first published pre-1920)
• Graphic Novel
• Audiobook

4. There can be overlap between categories. For example, if you read a graphic novel that’s fantasy, then it counts for both. Or maybe your audio book is historical fiction. You get the idea. So you may have 9 books on your list, you may not.

5. Only 1 book per author is allowed. This means once you’ve read something by that author, you can’t read another book by the same author.

6. If you’d like an extra challenge, see below the prizes section for details.

7. It’s not required to start with a list, but it’s a nice thing to work for if you do. Feel free to use the above banner on your challenge post.

8. Sign up with Mr. Linky below. If you don’t have a blog/website, send me an email to participate. If you’ve created a challenge list, post the direct link, not your overall link.

9. If you’d like, you can post reviews of the books you read. Please email me if you’d like to see a Mr. Linky just for reviews. An optional follow-up post will also be available in April.

Prizes:
1. Every person that signs up will be eligible for one pick from the Prize Box, whether you finish your list or not. Winners will be chosen randomly from the participants.

2. In addition, I will be giving out random prizes throughout the competition.

Extra Challenge:
If you’d like, you can dial the challenge up a bit. These are the full requirements of the class I’m taking, so if you want the real YA Lit college experience, add these rules to your list:
1. Instead of reading enough books to just cover the above categories, read a total of 25 books.

2. Only read books that you have NOT read for at least the past 5 years (so if you read it 6 years ago, you’re okay).

3. Read as many of these required novels as you can (I have to read them all) and count them towards the 25:

• The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristen D. Randle
• Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind by Suzanne Fisher Staples
• Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
• A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
• Deathwatch by Robb White
• Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
• Jason’s Gold by Will Hobbs
• Life Lists for Teens by Pamala Espeland
• Shipwrecked at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong

4. If you decide to extend your YA Lit challenge, indicate that you’re doing the Extra Challenge on your sign up post.

Here’s Mr. Linky. Have fun and good luck!

Reading Meme

Jocelyn over at Teen Book Review tagged me with a meme! a few days ago, but I didn't have time to do it there. But now the homework is done (for now), so here goes:


Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews? Honestly? Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I just can't seem to bring myself to read it, although I will be doing so in a few weeks for my YA class.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be? Hmmm, that would be hard. I think it would be fun to travel somewhere. I would pick Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, Ella from Ella Enchanted, and Kate from The Hollow Kingdom.

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realise it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave? I know I'm going to get flak for this one... I've heard War and Peace is pretty boring, so that might just do it.

Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it? I can't think of one of the top of my head, but I've faked a lot of english assignments.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to ‘reread’ it that you haven’t? Which book? I can honestly say I don't think that's ever happened to me.

You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (if you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead of personalise the VIP) I think I'd like to be book advisor to a big VIP's children... it would be more fun. I'd probably start them off with the Stravganza series, since I'm still trying to get my brother to read it.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with? Spanish. I already know a bit, and for some reason it holds the most interest for me.

A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick? Um, probably a Harry Potter book, since I already reread those so often. I really feel guilty when I reread something because there is so many new books that need to be read!

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)? I;ve learned about a ton of new books, which could be taken as a good or a bad thing.

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free. My dream library

would look a lot like the library in Beauty and the Beast; lots and lots of book. Plus, my library would come with an unlimited book budget so I could buy any book I wanted. Oh, and a time-stopping device would be cool too. That way I could spend hours reading and never actually lose any homework time. And no library would be complete with at least two cats... one to sleep on the bookshelves, and one to sit on my lap and purr as I'm reading.


I tag Em, Sarah, and InkMage. Have fun!

Waiting

I have something I really want to post. But I can’t. Unfortunately, I’m in the middle of a 10 hour Genetics test. That’s right…10 hours. So my news will have to wait. Maybe tomorrow, maybe Monday.

Anyway, just wanted a break. Back to the grind...