Drenched in Words

Book Recommendations

2009-07-12T00:21:19Z

The voters have spoken! More people voted for me to talk about books I’ve read lately than any other topic, so here goes!

I have a policy about not listing books by people I know as Top Ten books at the end of the year. That policy becomes harder to maintain the more authors I get to know. On the one hand, I don’t want to hurt people’s feelings by listing some, but not all the books by people I know. On the other hand, if I did not know a particular author whose book I loved, I would go ahead and enthuse about it, so why should I punish readers by staying silent?

I will continue to omit books by people I know from my year-end Top Ten lists, but I am forging ahead (with some trepidation) to recommend a few today. Good luck to us all! The only thing I can hope is that authors who know me and get offended will in turn refuse to mention MY book on their blog, when it comes out. Heh.

1) THE DEMON’S LEXICON, by Sarah Rees Brennan, is about two demon-fighting brothers in England who are forced to move from town to town with their half-crazed mother, who stole a powerful charm from an evil magician many years before.

I really don’t want to say too much about this book, because it’s best savored without knowing a lot of details beforehand. I will say that it blew my mind. In fact, it won’t leave my mind, which is why I had to break my books-by-authors-I-know rule! It’s dark, yet it has comedic moments. It’s Harry Potter-esque fantasy, but with a more grown-up feel to it. I’m so glad I have a first edition of this book … someday I’m going to get Sarah’s autograph on it.

2) THE SECRETS OF TRUTH AND BEAUTY, by Megan Frazer, just came out this week! It’s about a girl who was a beauty pageant winner as a child, but who has not been little or adorable in a long time. Megan actually got the spark of inspiration for this book from the movie “Little Miss Sunshine.” As anyone who has seen the movie knows, families are complicated; this book explores what family really means – sometimes it’s people you’re related to, sometimes it’s people who love you for who you really are.

3) TORCHED, by April Henry, is a fast-paced thriller about a teen girl forced to go undercover in an Earth First-type environmental group. Not only is there (are there?) love and lies and bombs, but it's set in Portland!

Let’s call this next section A Tale of Two Books:

4) I finally found time to read the 2009 Printz Award winner – JELLICOE ROAD, by Melina Marchetta.

Librarians are professional readers. So if a bunch of them get together and declare a book to be the BEST Young Adult novel they’ve read, you can be sure that book will be worth your time. Here’s what the Printz Committee had to say about JELLICOE ROAD:

“This roller coaster ride of a novel grabs you from the first sentence and doesn’t let go. You may not be sure where the ride will take you, but every detail—from the complexities of the dual narrative to the pangs of first love—is pitch perfect.”

As an author, I consider myself kind of a professional reader, too. In my efforts to craft compelling prose, I spend a lot of time pondering things like plot, pacing, dialogue, and emotion.

But most readers are not professional readers. They want to be grabbed from the first sentence - yes, JELLICOE ROAD does that – and taken on some kind of journey, whether it’s bumpy and dark, twisty and tree-filled, or full of surprises popping up around every corner. They do not want to be blindfolded and stuffed in the trunk, able to hear only bits and pieces of conversation from your characters … and yes, JELLICOE ROAD does that, too.

When I reached page 100 and still didn’t know where I was going, let alone who was in the car, I almost put the book down. But I’m a professional reader, and the book is a Printz Award winner … it’s almost my duty to read it. So I kept going, and yes, the details are “pitch perfect.”

But I wonder how many people put the book down when they couldn’t figure out who all those MANY characters were (The Brigadier? The boy in the tree?) … and why “hostages” were being taken … and what the story in italics had to do with the rest of the narrative. I can’t help thinking a few simple edits would have clarified some of those details, and kept readers from giving up on the book.

Please don’t take this as an admonition not to read the book – it’s really wonderful, but you must be committed to it in order to achieve your reward. In an attempt to provide the kind of synopsis that would have helped me when I was just starting the book, here’s part of what School Library Journal had to say:

“Grade 8 Up—For years, three factions—Townies, Cadets (city kids doing a six-week outdoor education program), and Jellicoe School students—have engaged in teen war games in the Australian countryside, defending territorial borders, negotiating for assets, and even taking hostages. Taylor Markham, a 17-year-old who was abandoned years ago by her mother, takes on leadership of the boarding school's six Houses. Plagued with doubts about being boss, she's not sure she can handle her Cadet counterpart, Jonah Griggs, whom she met several years before while running away to find her mother. When Hannah, a sort of house mother who has taken Taylor under her wing, disappears, Taylor puzzles over the book manuscript the woman left behind.”

5) I was lucky enough to read an ARC of CATCHING FIRE, the second book in Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games series.

This book is almost the polar opposite of the previous one. When you buckle up for this ride, the car accelerates steadily, until you’re starting to feel a little nervous, and you want to ask the driver to slow down … but it’s too late, the car has taken a sharp turn off the paved road and is screaming downhill, careening around corners, making you want to shut your eyes and whimper.

I loved it, even though I couldn’t sleep after I finished it … and then when I did, I had nightmares.

That was fun!

But I still want to do a meme, write some flash fiction, and host Tim Gunn at my blog again someday soon.

Stay tuned ...

:-)

Tired of summer reruns? Tell me what to blog about.

2009-07-09T04:10:37Z

The blog.

She is stagnant.

Get up in my grill and tell me what to write about, 'kay?

View Poll: #1427162

lkmadigan @ 2009-07-07T06:11:00

2009-07-07T13:14:03Z

I’m delighted to introduce my fellow debut author, Mandy Hubbard, today on Authorial Intrusion.

About Prada and Prejudice:

Fifteen year old Callie just wants to impress the popular girls when she buys a pair of Prada heels on her class trip to London. She didn’t plan on tripping, conking her head, and waking up in 1815! Now she’s wearing corsets with her designer pumps, eating bizarre soups, and breaking up engagements. If only the nineteen year old Duke of Harksbury wasn’t so bloody annoying, she might have a little fun in Austen-Era England…

I can’t imagine any girl reading that synopsis and not wanting to pick up the book. I’ve had the pleasure of reading it, and I can affirm that it’s totally charming and fun!

Breaking news: Mandy received some exciting news about PRADA AND PREJUDICE yesterday – here, I’ll let her tell you herself: http://mandywriter.livejournal.com/197813.html. Woo-hoo!

Mandy Hubbard grew up on a dairy farm outside Seattle, where she refused to wear high heels until homecoming—and hated them so much she didn’t wear another pair for five years. A cowgirl at heart, she enjoys riding horses and quads and singing horribly to the latest country tune. She’s currently living happily ever after with her husband (who, sadly, is not a Duke) and her daughter (who is most definitely a princess). Prada and Prejudice is her first novel.

Thai food or Chinese?
Thai food. I actually really despise Chinese food.

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
Never, ever, ever give up.

What are you reading right now?
I just finished WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson and am now reading FATE by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Are you a plotter or a plunger?
Normally, a plunger. I would rather fly by the seat of my pants. But sometimes my editor requests a detailed outline. I still have to write three chapters first, just to figure out where I am going, before I touch the outline.

What’s your favorite childhood Halloween costume?
My favorite halloween costume was ALWAYS a princess. I was a princess Every. Single. Year.

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Mandy!

Happy Almost 4th of July - Summer Reruns

2009-07-03T21:47:38Z

This is an image from the 4th of July, 2006. I have lots of ripe blueberries outside waiting to be free of their branches … but it’s sooo hot here. I just want to sit in my air-conditioned house and drink iced tea.

Today’s summer rerun comes from a July 2007 entry, after we returned from our trip to Great Britain.

It’s entitled The Passing Poetry of Place Names:

Through England -

Seething
Spixworth
Blickling
Beccles

Creake South
Crimplesham
Pinchbeck
Bicker

Icklingham
Ugthorpe
Foggathorpe
Grinkle

Shiney Row
Spennymoor
Amble
Flodden

And into Scotland -

Coldstream
Caddonfoot
Peebles
Penicuik

Firth of Forth
Sheriffmuir
Bonnybridge
Beecraigs

Little Glenshee
Killiecrankie
Dalnaspidal
Dalwhinnie

Strathmashie
Loch Lochy
Dingwall
Dunmaglass

Authorial Intrusion - Cyn Balog

2009-06-29T01:17:56Z

I’m delighted to introduce my fellow debut author, Cyn Balog, today on Authorial Intrusion.

About : FAIRY TALE:
Morgan Sparks and Cam Browne are a match made in heaven. They've been best friends since birth, they tell each other everything, and oh yeah - they're totally hot for each other. But a week before their joint Sweet Sixteen bash, everything changes. Cam's awkward cousin Pip comes to stay, and Morgan is stunned when her formerly perfect boyfriend seems to be drifting away. When Morgan demands answers, she's shocked to discover the source of Cam's distance isn't another girl … it's another world. Pip claims that Cam is a fairy. No, seriously. A fairy. And now his people want Cam to return to their world and take his rightful place as Fairy King.

Determined to keep Cam with her, Morgan plots to fool the fairies. But as Cam continues to change, she has to decide once and for all if he really is her destiny, and if their "perfect" love can weather an uncertain future.

Cyn Balog is a normal, everyday Jersey Girl who always believed magical things can happen to us when we least expect them. She lives outside Allentown, Pennsylvania with her husband and young daughter. Both are 100% human, or so she thinks. FAIRY TALE is her first novel.

Thai food or Chinese?
Chinese, because we don't have any Thai restaurants where I live.

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
Just keep swimming.

What are you reading right now?
A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell.

What’s the last song you listened to?
Ring Around the Rosie.

Favorite movie snack?
Twix bars.

Camping or four-star hotel?
Four star hotel.

Where did you go on your first date?
Sears.

First car?
1996 Dodge Neon.

Which celebrity shares your birthday?
Ricky Shroeder from Silver Spoons.

Best present anyone ever gave you?
My word processor, when I was 16, from my parents.

What books are on your night-stand right now?
Something about the pope, I think. It's my husband's.

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Cyn!

Summer Rerun 2

2009-06-27T01:59:59Z

Hi all –

I was off work this week … well, let me re-phrase: I was away from the day job this week, spending time at home on the writing job.

I interviewed a couple of people for research on my new WIP, and I spent three 2-hour stints in a Quiet Room at the library.

I’m fresh out of blogging ideas, so I’m pasting in an entry from January 2007, because it still makes me giggle. (I’ve edited out the contest.) If you feel inspired to mangle some titles, please share!

Here’s the entry:

lisayee has a contest on her blog that caused me to spend way too much time amusing myself, while I worked to craft worthy entries.

I'll copy and paste her rules:

1. Think of a title from a book.

2. Change the FIRST LETTER of ONE of the words to make it into a whole new title.

3. Then add a sentence describing the new book.

As an example, here's my winning entry:

1. Book -- OLD YELLER

2. Changed to -- OLD KELLER

3. Sentence -- Deaf, dumb blind girl gets rabies and has to be shot.

Lisa's contest is for children's/middle grade/young adult books.

I wrote three, then went on to molest a bunch of other titles.

Goy Proof
A sci-fi fan and straight-A teenager works hard to avoid Gentile entanglements before realizing that love can be found in many faiths.

Cooking for Alaska
Pudge earns his nickname by preparing hot meals for the free spirited Alaska.

Vittle Women
A timeless classic about the March sisters and Marmee, who insist upon showing up at their neighbors’ homes with victuals.

The Mound of the Baskervilles
The thrilling Sherlock Holmes tale of murder, madness, and baseball.

One Hundred Bears of Solitude
Magical realism in a Latin American town full of reclusive bears.

Mess of the D’urbervilles
Interminable Victorian novel about lust, betrayal, and untidiness.

Done with the Wind
Epic saga of one woman’s loves, losses, and irritation with weather during the Civil War and Reconstruction.

The Kite Punner
A young Afghan boy loves flying kites and making up puns. No one gets hurt or dies, and they all live happily ever after on his contest winnings from writing advertising jingles.

The Jive People You Meet in Heaven
Touching story of one man’s awakening in heaven, and his growing horror at the realization that he must spend all eternity listening to nothing but jazz.

Authorial Intrusion - Sarah Ockler

2009-06-23T13:46:00Z

I’m delighted to introduce my fellow debut author, Sarah Ockler, today on Authorial Intrusion.

About TWENTY BOY SUMMER:
While on vacation in California, sixteen-year-old best girlfriends Anna and Frankie conspire to find a boy for Anna’s first summer romance, but Anna harbors a painful secret that threatens their lighthearted plan and their friendship.

Sarah Ockler wrote and illustrated her first book at age six—an adaptation of Steven Spielberg's E.T. Still recovering from her own adolescence, Sarah now writes for young adults. After several years of wandering between New York City and Denver, she and her husband Alex now live in Upstate New York with lots of books and an ever-expanding collection of sea glass. Twenty Boy Summer is Sarah's first novel. Visit her online at www.sarahockler.com.

Thai food or Chinese?
Thai.

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
Don't give up, silly!

What are you reading right now?
HOPE WAS HERE by Joan Bauer.

Your five favorite movies.
Friday
Office Space
Breakfast Club
Shakespeare in Love
Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Which celebrity shares your birthday?
Foxy Brown AND Jeff Foxworthy. Coincidence? I think not.

First car?
1985 Toyota Celica GT with 130,000 miles on it.

First job?
Store girl / cashier / window display for a consignment store called Jellybean Junction. I was working off that awesome Celica, which I bought from the owner's son.

Favorite pie?
Chocolate pecan.

In writing, are you a plotter or a plunger?
A little bit of both.

What’s the last song you listened to?
Airbag by Radiohead.

If you couldn’t write in your current genre, what would you write?
Probably middle grade.

Dogs or cats?
Woof!

Favorite movie snack?
Reese's Pieces and buttered popcorn (not together, I just like having both a sweet and a salty option).

What’s your cure for the blues?
Hanging out with my husband.

Camping or four-star hotel?
Camping!

Where did you go on your first date?
My parent's living room in 7th grade. After Dad answered the door while rubbing his shot gun with a cloth diaper and said, "Ever seen a gun before, Nate?" it kind of killed the mood. Nate and I didn't last very long after that!

Ocean or lake?
Ocean.

Snorkeling or skiing?
Neither. How about snow shoeing? That's much safer I think. *shudders at only memory of skiing*

Do you speak a foreign language?
Not fluently, but I can curse in Spanish and I dream sometimes in French.

Ever wish you’d studied a different subject in college?
No, I just wish I tried harder and applied myself more, but it all worked out in the end.

Spring or fall?
Fall.

Last book you gave as a gift.
Hmmm, I don't remember. Do gifts given to myself by myself count? Cause if they do, boy have I been generous this year!

Pick three words to go on your tombstone.
I'll Haunt You!

Tell us something weird about you.
I hate melons of all kinds, even watermelon, even other fruit that was touching watermelon. Yuck! Everyone thinks that's weird!

Early bird or night owl?
I guess I qualify as both, since I go to bed around 5 AM. Maybe that makes me more of a night owl.

Rain or sun?
Rain. I don't often get to see the sun, per above. :-)

Tattoos?
I would if I wasn't so afraid of needles! *Shivers*

Do you use writing prompts?
Only when I'm really stuck.

Where would you like to travel that you haven’t yet?
Egypt.

Chocolate chip cookies or snickerdoodles?
What kind of blasphemous question is this! Chocolate chip of course!

What’s your favorite childhood Halloween costume?

Raggedy Ann, just like my doll. I was that costume for like 4 years, and then finally I got sick of her. But looking back, that one was the best. Mom made it! I still have that rockin' orange wig, too, but now it has kind of a receding hairline!

Beach or mountains?
Mountains, though I love the beach, too. But if I could only pick one, mountains.

If someone made you sing karaoke – you couldn’t refuse! – what would you sing?
Friend of the Devil by the Grateful Dead. I tried to sing that once with my brother's band, but my brother made my mom remove me from the stage!

Who do you wish you could meet, living or dead?
Barack Obama and Jack Kerouac.

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Sarah!

Summer Rerun

2009-06-21T17:19:23Z

Happy Father's Day - we had donuts. :-)

I’m deep in the middle of my WIP right now, so I’m blogfail.

I've copied and pasted an entry below that originally ran in June 2006 here. I had finished a first draft of FLASH BURNOUT, but I was still working on it. Now that book is less than six months from its release date. ☺

Here's the rerun:

It was almost time for lunch.

We were almost out of bread.

“Subway?” I called.

“Yay!” I didn’t even have to ask what my son (8yo) wanted: a foot-long roast beef sandwich. Plain.

“Um, I’d rather have something soft,” said DH apologetically. (Mouth still tender from dry socket.) “Maybe a bean and cheese burrito from Taco Bell?”

The line at Subway was long enough that I considered bailing. It consisted of mostly teenage boys and their moms. They were all tall and sweaty, wearing long shorts … fresh from a basketball game. I decided to stay and soak up their gangly presence. My MC is their age.

A kid with nascent sideburns turned toward the kid nearest me and cocked his head, listening. His head began to bob, and he announced, ‘“Peaceful Easy Feeling.’ The Eagles. 1978.”

Then I heard the background music, and sure enough, he was right. Spies should be silent and invisible, but I laughed out loud. He grinned in embarrassment and turned away.

I love that kid. No way should he know that song, but he does. And he was a few years off on the release date (yes, I had to check) but I’m impressed! A quirky teenage boy in the flesh. My MC has some basis in reality, not just my own mind.

I ostentatiously DIDN’T look at him after that, so he could go back to being himself, but yes, I kept my spy-eyes on him. After he ordered, he slouched toward some buddies at a table, paused, and played a little air guitar for “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” out of sheer sarcastic exuberance.

I’m glad we were almost out of bread yesterday.

Driving my son to sports camp Friday morning, I had a character flash. But I was driving. And I had left my notebook at home, anyway.

“Son!”

“Yes?”

“I need you to remember something for me. Okay? Something for my book.”

“What?”

“I’m going to tell you something, and I want you to remember it for me today, and remind me later, so I can write it down, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Here it is: Marissa keeps food in her pockets.”

“What’s the name?”

“Marissa. Marissa keeps food in her pockets.”

“Marissa keeps food in her pockets. Okay.” He chuckled a little. It does sound funny out of context. But Marissa didn’t always get regular meals when she was little, so it’s not funny; it tells the truth.

Of course, after saying it out loud and making a huge deal of it, even I was able to remember the thought, and write it down later. I’ve lost plenty of fleeting ideas.

When I picked Son up from camp at the end of the day, we chatted about dodgeball and capture-the-flag and what to have for dinner, then stopped at the video store for Friday’s Movie Night selection.

“Hey!” I said. “What was it I asked you to remember this morning?”

“Marissa keeps food in her pockets.”

"That's right! Thank you."

Authorial Intrusion - Sarah Cross

2009-06-15T12:54:29Z

Sarah Cross toyed with my feelings briefly about a year ago when she contemplated moving to Portland. Then she abandoned the idea like a cake in the rain, leaving me to spend the rest of my life in an agony of despair.

She’s like that.

Heehee!

Sarah is one of my “oldest” LiveJournal friends; I still remember the day she finally admitted to me that she’d sold her YA novel, DULL BOY. She was shy about publicizing the big news, so I got to celebrate with her in super-sekrit fashion for awhile. At the time, I had no idea my own YA novel would sell, and we would end up sharing a debut year. Yay! Although Sarah chose New York over me, we'll always have 2009. :-D

About DULL BOY:
Superpowers are awesome -- unless you actually have them, like Avery does. There's only so much he can pass off as "adrenaline" before people start to get suspicious. Probably it's best to lie low, so guys in white lab coats don't come to carry him away, to find out what makes his freakish body tick. Who wants to be vivisected? But flying under the radar becomes a whole lot harder when you can actually fly. It's dangerous to be different, so for now he'll pretend to be normal, unremarkable Avery -- a dull boy -- anything to keep his secret safe.

What he doesn't expect is the horrifying truth about where his powers came from, who else might have them, and the madness of one villain's plan to turn this superpowered dull boy into something even more powerful and amazing.

Sarah Cross has saved the world, like, five times since fifth grade -- and you didn't even notice. Learn her secrets at www.sarahcross.com.

Thai food or Chinese?
Chinese. But to be fair, I've eaten Thai food maybe once.

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
Be awesome. Never give up!

What are you reading right now?
Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost.

What’s the last song you listened to?
"Did Ya" by BoA.

What’s your favorite childhood Halloween costume?
Jem! It was truly outrageous. Followed by zombie fairy godmother.

Pick three words to go on your tombstone.
OMG WTF BBQ

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Sarah!

Playlist Madness!

2009-06-05T19:41:06Z

It’s me again.

(It seems like every time I think I'll be absent from LJ, I start posting even more. ?!)

I’m still working on playlists, and I have a new question:

Which songs blew you away the first time you heard them?

There are lots of songs I love … but that I didn’t love immediately.

But some songs win me over instantly, for various reasons – passion, novelty, humor, some indefinable something.

Here are a few examples:

“Why”, by Annie Lennox. I first heard this song when she sang it live on “Saturday Night Live,” and that kind of raw, angry emotion, coming from a woman was still a little shocking.

“Creep,” by Radiohead. Oh the self-loathing! Oh the falsetto wailing! Oh Thom Yorke!

“Bring Me to Life,” by Evanescence. When I first heard this on the radio, I actually called the station to ask who the artist was.

“Breathe,” by Sia. Slurry singing backed by inexorable beats – just something seductive about it.

“Hot in Herre,” by Nelly. So funny! Plus, bonus: you can dance to it. I just love, “Girl, I think my butt gettin’ big!”

Okay, I could do this for hours, but I’ve got to get back to work.

Do me a solid and share songs that rocked your world from the very first.

Love,

iLisa

And the winners are ...

2009-06-05T13:19:44Z

First of all, thanks to everyone for the nice wishes on yesterday's post. I showed my ARC around my office like a proud mama showing off her baby, then I packed it up in a bubble envelope, and mailed it out into the world. The first copy is going to visit various Debs around the country, who will read it and write comments in it, then mail it back to me. I can't wait to see it again, battered and travel-worn, but full of Debsy goodness.

Thanks also to everyone who either participated in BAM, or watched patiently from the sidelines throughout May.

I enlisted my husband and son’s help in pulling names of winners out of a hat. (Er, bowl.)

Congratulations to the three winners, and I will be contacting you ASAP to arrange delivery of your prizes!

Decide if you want the little yellow guy or the little blue guy of these two keychains.

ART:

(Kelly Fineman)

OUTINGS:

(Kathleen of All the World’s a Stage)

PEOPLE:

(3rd grade teacher)

Oh, and I almost forgot that I was giving away one of my ARCs, so I had to go to an online random number generator, because I had already thrown away the paper nametags. (I don’t have enough ARCs to give one to each winner – I’m sorry!) The winner of an ARC of FLASH BURNOUT is ... Kelly Fineman! Hope you like it, Kelly.

Thankful Thursday

2009-06-04T14:45:11Z

My ARCs are here!

My Murky Middle Needs Music

2009-06-03T19:35:42Z

The middle of any book is hard, right?

Or is it just me?

When I'm neck-deep in the featureless desert of a first draft, the desire to abandon it and start working on a new project seems way more fun.

I think a playlist would help!

Please give me suggestions for songs that evoke:

being the new kid

trying to fit in

a crush

uh ...

any songs you're especially liking!

Authorial Intrusion - Aprilynne Pike

2009-06-02T13:21:03Z

I’m delighted to introduce my fellow debut author, Aprilynne Pike, today on Authorial Intrusion.

Aprilynne Pike's WINGS is the first of four books about an ordinary girl named Laurel who discovers she is a faerie sent among humans to guard the gateway to Avalon. When Laurel is thrust into the midst of a centuries-old battle between faeries and trolls, she's torn between a human and a faerie love, as well as her loyalties to both worlds.

Aprilynne Pike has been spinning faerie stories since she was a child with a hyper-active imagination. At the age of twenty, she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found at the gym; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula. Aprilynne currently lives with her husband and three kids in Utah, and dreams of warmer climates.

Thai food or Chinese?
OMG I love them both, I can't choose!!! *waffles* Well, I can think of more specific Chinese dishes I love off the top of my head, so i guess I'll go with Chinese. :)

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
While subbing, write another book.

What are you reading right now?
I just finished I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells and The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Apparently I am in a boy-book phase. However, these were both excellent.

Tell us something weird about you.
I love broccoli. LOOOOOOVE broccoli!!

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Definitely yellow!

Tattoos?
*ahem* No comment.

Where would you like to travel that you haven’t yet?
France and Japan!

In writing, are you a plotter or a plunger?
Plotter all the way!!

What’s the last song you listened to?
*checks ipod* Dancing Queen by ATeens (originally by ABBA)

Favorite movie snack?
Popcorn!

What’s your cure for the blues?
Very loud music.

Camping or four-star hotel?
Four star hotel. I don't like camping at all. Yuck!

Ocean or lake?
Ocean. Give me waves!

First car?
A very beat up old truck I bought from my uncle. I loved that truck!!!

Snorkeling or skiing?
I went snorkeling for the first time last summer and it PWNS skiing so much!!!

Do you speak a foreign language?
I understand and read French pretty well, but I suck at speaking it. Does that count?

Ever wish you’d studied a different subject in college?
Nope. I tried that and it didn't work.

Do you use writing prompts?
No. I don't really like them.

First job?
Waitress at a dinner theatre. Fun!

Spring or fall?
Spring because that means it's almost SUMMER!!!

Last book you gave as a gift.
Sadly, mine.

Early bird or night owl?
Night owl, but my kids are doing their best to train me out of that.

Rain or sun?
Sun! Sunsunsunsunsun!!!!!

Chocolate chip cookies or snickerdoodles?
Snickerdoodles. I think Chocolate chips are overrated.

Beach or mountains?
Beach. Mmmmmmmm.

If someone made you sing karaoke – you couldn’t refuse! – what would you sing?
I'm not that Girl for Wicked. I sing it really well.:)

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Aprilynne!

Bye, BAM!

2009-06-01T13:23:13Z

Good morning! Happy June 1st.

I don’t know about you guys, but I had a lot of fun with Blogging Alternatives in May.

However, in a cruel twist of irony, I seem to have blogged even more than usual in my efforts to encourage people to do things other than blogging.

Bahahaha!

So I will probably be pretty scarce around LJ the next couple of months, except for posting Authorial Intrusion interviews. I need to settle back into a more structured writing schedule, and I will be holing up in the Revision Cave once I get notes from my editor for book 2.

In other words, BIC instead of BAM.

I’ve listed below the BAM participants, to the best of my knowledge. If you don’t see your name, and you did participate, please let me know within the next few days (and tell me which category – ART, OUTINGS, or PEOPLE). It’s quite possible you were BAMming and posting proof all month long, and I just missed it, due to my spotty blog-reading. annewriter, I know you took went offline during May – did you BAM?

On June 5, I will fire up the random number generator, and choose the winners. (Chocolates! Fun stuff! Books! Maybe my ARC!)

ART
1. sookie06 (garden art, bracelet)
2. susanwrites (garden art)
3. soniag (fancy collage)
4. sarazarr (taking up music again)
5. meganfrazer (cake-baking)
6. sruble (aside from her regular art, she’s taking a comics class)
7. 3rdgradeteacher (who never blogs, but provided photographic proof of more BAMming in one month than I could have managed in six months … and I don’t have a baby and a toddler)
8. kellyrfineman

OUTINGS
1. Kathleen (of All the World’s A Stage) (Northwest FolkFest)
2. newport2newport (many outings!)
3. kellyrfineman (ditto)
4. anywherebeyond (~~two~~ OMG THREE outings!)
5. fabulousfrock (wide-ranging travels)
6. soniag (England)
7. Jolie (of Cuppa Jolie) (various Real Life)
8. meganfrazer (hiking, trapeze-ing)
9. 3rdgradeteacher
10. Laini Taylor (went all over the place in May)
11. jbknowles (Medieval Fair)
12. sookie06

PEOPLE
1. 3rdgradeteacher
2. meganfrazer
3. kellyrfineman
4. kimkasch
5. juliakarr
6. marybethkelsey
7. annewriter

I went on one final May outing yesterday morning:

My husband, son and I took a spin around the neighborhood.

I rang my bell at recalcitrant cats.

I know what you're thinking: “Phhbt. It’s a photo of some bikes … how do we know you didn’t just park them next to each other and take a picture, and go back in the house to watch Supernatural DVDs?” To those of you, I say, Listen. Shh. Do you hear that? It’s the sound of my thighs screaming.

Even if you didn’t BAM, I hope you had fun in May.

Let’s meet back here next year for more blogging alternatives. Heck, if BEDA becomes an annual event, you will need to relax with BAM.

My last non-baseball-related OUTING for May

2009-05-29T23:09:49Z

Tonight I’m headed to the Lucky Labrador (in southeast Portland) to attend the silent auction fundraiser for Bridget Zinn. The online auction runs for two more days. Check it out – there are LOTS of cool items up for bid, and all the proceeds go to support our Bridget as she battles that b****** cancer.

Oh, and btw, an autographed copy of my ARC is up for grabs.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Authorial Intrusion - C. Lee McKenzie

2009-05-29T13:31:36Z

It is with extra-special delight that I introduce to you C. Lee McKenzie today on Authorial Intrusion. Lee is not just a fellow debut author, she has been one of my critique partners for several years. After sharing many ups and downs on our paths toward publication, we now share a debut year. I, for one, could not be more thrilled.

It was my pleasure to read Lee’s YA novel, SLIDING ON THE EDGE, in manuscript form. I’m proud to have played a small part in its success, and there is no doubt in my mind that Lee’s editorial insights helped make my novel better.

Alone and broke, Shawna Stone feels she has nothing left to live for. Her daily life is a struggle to survive … and now she is a heartbeat away from giving up. Kay Stone is the grandmother Shawna has never known, and at sixty-four, Kay too feels she has is little left worth fighting for. When the two are thrown together, they circle each other in a crucible of secrets and distrust until saving a doomed horse unites them and gives each a reason to live.

A native Californian, C. Lee McKenzie has been a university lecturer, academic editor, and short story writer. Sliding on the Edge is her first young adult novel. Writing for teen readers keeps Lee in touch with the young members of her family, and allows her to re-visit those wonderful years in life when everything is possible. When she isn’t writing, Lee’s hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Los Gatos, California.

Thai food or Chinese?
Thai every time. Hot, spicy, not greasy.

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
Don't ever give up.

What are you reading right now?
I'm into retro-reading right now: S.E. Hinton's that was then this is now.

In writing, are you a plotter or a plunger?
Plunger who suffers for it.

If you couldn’t write in your current genre, what would you write?
Hmmm. Guess I'd return to Middle Grade. That's fun to write and I fiddle with magic and ghosts and dragons--I loves those dragons.

Favorite movie snack?
I thought popcorn was the only snack permitted during a movie. I've had other choices all these years? Sheesh!

Ocean or lake?
Ocean by far. Love to body-surf.

Snorkeling or skiing?
Snorkeling, hence, the ocean answer.

Do you speak a foreign language?
Ha! I really do try and now I can usually get what I want when I ask for something in Spanish--even when I'm in Turkey! What does that tell you?

Which celebrity shares your birthday?
Abraham Lincoln. He's a celebrity, right?

Last book you gave as a gift.
(Face turns slightly red here.) Mine. I gave an ARC to my mom for her birthday. Well, I took her to dinner too. Just didn't want to appear self-center and cheap.

Pick three words to go on your tombstone.
Did My Best.

Early bird or night owl?
Definitely early bird. I roost at sunset.

Tattoos?
Have considered one, but . . . hate pain. Not too much into permanent jewelry.

Where would you like to travel that you haven’t yet?
Africa. I've come close three times and each time there's been something that stopped me--a couple were funny, one not so much. So, Africa, yes, my next place.

Chocolate chip cookies or snickerdoodles?
Snickerdoodles. I can't explain why, except that after one chocolate chip I'm finished. With a snickerdoodle, I don't stop until they're gone.

Best present anyone ever gave you?
It was a small velvet drawstring bag with tiny rhinestones--like stars. I was 15 and it was the prettiest thing I'd ever owned.

What books are on your night-stand right now?
Rumble Fish, John Adams (biography), For One More Day, The Last Lecture. I jump around a lot in what I read.

If someone made you sing karaoke – you couldn’t refuse! – what would you sing?
Moonshadow. I love that James Taylor song and sometimes I can't get it out of my head. Of course, one chorus and the audience would be history, just like the song.

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Lee!

Authorial Intrusion - Leigh Brescia

2009-05-27T15:43:42Z

I’m delighted to host my fellow debut author, Leigh Brescia, today on Authorial Intrusion.

In One Wish, Wrenn desperately wants to be popular and snag a hot boyfriend. Her singing talent lands her a lead role in the high school musical, which sparks a rush to lose weight by opening night. As Wrenn’s waistline shrinks, her circle of friends grows to include the popular girls. But what will be the cost of her drastic new self-improvements?

Leigh Brescia grew up in North Carolina, spending most of her days playing in the woods behind her home and imagining she was a princess. She currently teaches online English composition courses for three universities, and an online “Writing Novels for Young Adults” course for UC Irvine. When she’s not grading papers or writing, she enjoys reading and watching movies. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and her three-year-old.

Thai food or Chinese?
Since I’ve never had Thai . . . I’ll say Chinese. But if it’s Chinese vs. Japanese . . . I’m going with Japanese.

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
Keep Writing. Don’t give up.

What are you reading right now?
Paper Towns, by John Green.

What’s the last song you listened to?
Norah Jones’ version of “Love Me Tender.”

If you couldn’t write in your current genre, what would you write?
Probably fantasy or historical fiction.

Dogs or cats?
Itty bitty doggies.

Favorite movie snack?
Popcorn (with extra butter)!

What’s your cure for the blues?
A good romantic comedy.

Camping or four-star hotel?
Four star hotel.

Where did you go on your first date?
With my now husband: a bacteria symposium. I’m not joking. I wish I was, but I’m not. If it helps, we didn’t pay much attention to the speaker, or his PowerPoint presentation. I know nothing about bacteria. . . .

(I went to a few formals in high school, but they were nothing to write home about.)

First car?
A ‘95 burgundy Chevy Camaro.

Snorkeling or skiing?
Skiing. I’m scared of things that I can’t see that live beneath the Earth’s surface.

Do you speak a foreign language?
Si! Yo hablo espanol. Muy mal, pero yo puedo visitar el Mexico y encuentro el bano. Um. Yeah. (I speak Spanish. Not well, but I could go to Mexico and find a bathroom.)

Ever wish you’d studied a different subject in college?
Not really. But if I would’ve changed my mind about the whole English thing, I would’ve studied art.

First job?
I volunteered at the local hospital. I didn’t get paid, but I wrote a YA book about it. It’s currently on submission. :)

Favorite pie?
Chocolate.

Which celebrity shares your birthday?
Ron Livingston (from Office Space and Little Black Book)

Five things you would do with $100,000.
Pay off car, pay off student loans, go shopping, and if you think there would be any left after that, you’re crazy!

Tell us something weird about you.
I’m obsessed with Sharpie markers.

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Blue green. Really . . . it’s my favorite Crayola color . . . and I have a preschooler, so I *know* my Crayolas.

Early bird or night owl?
Night. Owl.

Tattoos? </i>
Ouch. No thank you. But I’ll admire yours.

Where would you like to travel that you haven’t yet?
Europe.

Chocolate chip cookies or snickerdoodles?
Chocolate chip cookies.

Beach or mountains?
Beach.

Who do you wish you could meet, living or dead?
Sarah Dessen . . . though I’m such a pathetic fangirl I’d probably have an asthma attack . . . and I don’t even have asthma.

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Leigh!

Fun NOW!

2009-05-26T20:48:11Z

Hi!

Happy Tuesday! I’m back from the dentist after much numbing and drilling and molding. Now the rest of my week off work can be pain-free, I hope.

How’s BAM going for everyone? (Er, anyone? Bueller?)

I know newport2newport has been on many outings, wearing her Nancy Drew hat, and
kellyrfineman has been gallivanting, and
sookie06 and susanwrites made garden art, and
anywherebeyond actually left her house TWICE in May (no, it’s true! I have photographic proof! But I know from personal experience that having body parts surgically removed is no fun, and I doubt Saundra would stop to sterilize instruments and stuff, she would just rip out my viscera, so I’m not going to post the photo) and
soniag made a gorgeous character collage AND is on a big outing in ENGLAND right now! and
Jolie (of http://cuppajolie.blogspot.com/) had Real Life plans for May, and
lots of writer friends went to the Western Washington SCBWI in May (so jellus!!) and … and …

Who else?

I know I’m missing someone. Let me know if you’ve been BAM-ing, because you! may! win! prizes! including Moonstruck chocolates, a cute keychain, a Winter Court or Summer Court wristband (courtesy of Melissa Marr), and books! (Some of the books up for grabs are: GRACELING by Kristin Cashore, CHAINS by Laurie Halse Anderson, RADIANT DARKNESS by fellow Portlander Emily Whitman, FRAGILE ETERNITY by Melissa Marr, FINGERSMITH by Sarah Waters, and however many more I need to jettison to make room for more books.)

Let’s talk about ART, since so many writers seem intimidated by the idea of making visual art.

I used to feel leery (what a funny juxtaposition of e’s and l’s) of venturing away from the safety zone of words and into visual art, but then I had en epiphany:

You can play with it.

You can see that I didn’t wander too far away from words when I made this collage. I made it using nothing more than a big piece of paper from a child’s oversized sketch pad and some kids’ paints. Then I typed up favorite words and phrases from books, printed them on different papers, and pasted them down.

I was so pleased with the end result I even framed it. Every time I look at it, it makes me happy.

Which is kind of the point, right?

The funjoyhappy of making art.

I can see that my efforts are primitive, but, well, that’s my level of ability … so I must embrace it.

For an example of a more sophisticated collage, check out the one made by soniag.

Several years ago, a character in one of my books carried around a homemade cigar box purse. I decided to make one, which required locating a cigar box, and buying the hardware for a handle. I got the cigar box at a local smoke shop, and ordered the hardware off eBay. Oh, and I bought lots of old books to cut up. (I know … I feel you wincing.)

Here’s the end result (it was a hit at the SCBWI conference I attended):

(Turns out cigar box purses are cute, but not very practical. They don’t hold much.)

I’ve made my own note cards, too. You can buy blank cards at a crafts store or art supply store. I have a co-worker who makes amazing, intricately crafted cards. Mine are (of course) very basic. I decorate them with rubber stamps or homemade shrinky dink charms. The shrinkable plastic is called PolyShrink, and you can buy it here. You cut out a big circle or heart or star or some other shape, write or draw on it using heat-safe ink or paint, bake it, watch it shrink up in the oven, then glue it on the card. It’s totally fun to do with kids, too. (Sorry I don’t have any examples to show you.)

When I first got the idea for BAM, one of the ART things I wanted to do was make steppingstones – I hadn’t made any for years. I went looking for my mosaic supplies, and came across these three frames I made a few years ago, but never got around to grouting:

Must grout! My idea was to get a triptych painting for the frames, so that one image flowed into the next. I can't wait to see how it all turns out.

I’m not going to attempt to do a How-To post on steppingstones. I’ll add this link for those who are interested. But here’s what my process looks like:

Get a piece of cardboard to lay out your design on. If you use stained glass tiles, and you want to cut large tiles into smaller pieces, for the love of all that is safe, here’s my quick tip for lazy people: get a plastic gallon bag and cut the tile (using tile nippers) inside the bag. Not only does it protect your eyes … it keeps the tiny glass slivers contained.

My husband is the kind of guy who tends to have bags of cement lying around the garage, but I like to use the pre-measured stuff, because it’s easier. Keep your head turned away when you’re pouring out the cement sand! You don’t want to breathe in any particles.

This is what it looks like when it’s wet. (As you can see, I didn’t end up making the yin-yang. I didn’t have enough lavender tiles, and I couldn’t find the round form!)

Don’t forget to agitate the form after you pour the cement into it – it causes the slurry to rise to the top. (Love the word slurry.) I put my form on a TV tray, so I can move it around. You can’t exactly shake a picnic table.

I’m not posting all these photos of my projects because they’re OMG awesome! - I’m sharing my beginner-level efforts to show you that even the most artistically-challenged stick-figure-wrecker can make stuff.

(Most of these projects require a trip to a crafts store; sometimes Target has the same stuff. I buy some stuff – like mosaic glass tiles – on eBay.)

Some other ideas for coaxing the shy visual artist in you out into the world:

Buy some fabric paints and a solid-color t-shirt or hat, and let loose your inner designer.

Buy beads and charms and make your own bracelet.

Go to a museum and sketch or paint a piece of art there (like the students in VIDALIA IN PARIS).

Wow, it’s 1:45 already! I haven’t had lunch yet, and this entry is LONG ENOUGH.

Have FUN! Make ART!

Authorial Intrusion - Cindy Pon

2009-05-25T16:04:57Z

I’m delighted to host my fellow debut author, Cindy Pon, today on Authorial Intrusion.

About Silver Phoenix:

On the day of her first betrothal meeting--and rejection--Ai Ling discovers a power welling deep within her. She can reach into other people's spirits, hear their thoughts, see their dreams...and that's just the beginning.

Ai Ling has been marked by the immortals; her destiny lies in the emperor's palace, where a terrible evil has lived, stealing souls, for centuries. She must conquer this enemy and rescue her captive father, while mythical demons track her every step. And then she meets chen yong, a young man with a quest of his own, whose fate is intertwined with hers. Here is a heart-stopping, breathtaking tale for fans of action, fantasy, and romance--of anything with the making of legend.

Cindy Pon was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and her family immigrated to California in 1980, settling in the suburbs of Los Angeles. She began writing stories before she was officially declared English proficient. She received her bachelor's from the University of California, San Diego, and also earned a master's from New York University. The author is a student of Chinese brush painting, and her love for the art is reflected in her storytelling. Cindy Pon lives with her husband and two small children in San Diego, California.

Thai food or Chinese?
i love thai food, but i've got to represent
and go with chinese! have you seen my ARC
give away contest from a while back? ha!
you had to name your favorite chinese dish
to enter. =p~

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
read, write, critique, revise, repeat.

What are you reading right now?
i'm going to start the ARC of THE STOLEN ONE
by suzanne crowley. she is a fellow greenwillowite
summer YA novel and we share the same editor. i'm very excited to read this!

which celebrity shares your birthday?
michael jackson. yep.

spring or fall?
definitely the spring. i love the sense of rebirth and renewal--not to mention the colors and the scents!

who do you wish you could meet, living or dead?
my maternal grandmother.

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Cindy!

Biscuits with Real People

2009-05-24T18:37:13Z

More BAM (Blogging Alternatives in May)! If you don't know what I'm talking about, go here.

Hoisted self from chair to meet RL friends for breakfast at Industrial Cafe in NW Portland.

Rumor has it they make the best biscuits and gravy in town.

You know what?

They do.

So today earns me points in the PEOPLE category of BAM ... and I may even make some ART, too.

ART post coming soon!

But it's a beautiful sunny day here, and I have a weird desire to go sit outside and ... read.

Not pull weeds or attempt to "work on" the yard. Just luxuriate in a good book. (I'm reading a friend's MS, and also Sarah Cross's DULL BOY. Love both!)

Biscuits and gravy below the cut, so people who are averse to sausage don't have to see it on their friends-page over and over. And let's be honest: biscuits and gravy - while delicious! - is not the prettiest of foods.

Edited to add:

Holy crap! Went outside to read peacefully.
Neighbor fired up weed whacker.
*heartshock*

Edited to add part 2:

OMG!
Now two boys playing Guitar Hero in next room.
Universe does not want me to quietly read.

Thankful Thursday

2009-05-21T15:03:12Z

Those of you who follow me on Twitter know my son left yesterday morning for a three-day, two-night field trip with about 70 other classmates (3rd, 4th, 5th graders). They're doing Lewis and Clark studies on the Oregon coast. My husband was supposed to go on the trip, also, to be a chaperone and work on the chuck wagon. :-)

But he got sick at the last minute, and couldn't go. So we had to let our son out of our sight for three days! Which we're not good at doing. He's an only child - yes, we know - he's waaaay too important to us. (Heh.)

Anyway, he called last night on his "Tent Parent's" cell phone.

I tried to restrain my wild joy. "Hi, honey! How are you?"

Son: Tired.

Me: Yeah? Did you guys do a lot today? Was it fun?

Son: It was tolerable.

(Bahahahaha! Tolerable.)

Me: What did you have for dinner?

Son: Buffalo stew.

Me: (gagging silently) "Really? How was it?"

Son: Pretty good. Maybe it was elk?

Me: Wow.

Boy in background: Who are you talking to?

Son: (to boy) My mom.

Boy in background: Why did you call her?

Son: Because I wanted to talk to her.

Hee!

Thankful we have only thirty-six hours to endure before our sun is back in its rightful place in our universe.

(Yes, I know, we're pathetic.) (Perhaps after his teen years, we will be eager to send him to an out-of-state college.)

Authorial Intrusion - Danielle Joseph

2009-05-19T13:16:46Z

I’m delighted to host my fellow debut author, Danielle Joseph, today on Authorial Intrusion.

In Shrinking Violet , every day is an ordeal for painfully shy Teresa Adams, a high school senior who lives in dread of having to answer questions in class, or even speak to anyone in hallways. But in the privacy of her own bedroom, she rocks the pretend-mike with her mock radio broadcasts. When an intern job opens up at Miami’s hottest FM station, Tere works up the nerve to ask her stepfather – the owner – to give her a chance. Before long, shy Tere has adopted the on-air persona of Sweet T, a sexy, confident DJ. She’s a hit. But success doesn’t come without a price. To Tere’s dismay, the radio station announces a songwriting promotion with the grand prize of a prom date with Sweet T. When Tere's secret is revealed, will it ruin her chances with the guy of her dreams?

Danielle Joseph was a college DJ for five years on the Gyroscope, a world music show. She also interned at several top Boston radio stations while earning her BFA in Creative Writing and an MA in Marketing Communications and Advertising from Emerson College. She has taught Creative Writing and English to middle school students.

Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Danielle now lives in Miami, Florida with her husband and two young sons. These days you can find her cruising around with the tunes blaring and her internal DJ hard at work.

Thai food or Chinese?
Thai.

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
You can do it!

What are you reading right now?
Bad to the Bone by Jeri Smith-Ready.

In writing, are you a plotter or a plunger?
Plunger.

What’s the last song you listened to?
Heartless by Kayne West.

First job?
Dishwasher.

If you couldn’t write in your current genre, what would you write?
Adult Humor.

Dogs or cats?
Dogs.

Favorite movie snack?
Popcorn and M & Ms.

What’s your cure for the blues?
Chocolate.

Camping or four-star hotel?
Four-star hotel on the beach.

Where did you go on your first date?
Chinese restaurant.

First car?
Volkswagen Passat.

Snorkeling or skiing?
Snorkeling.

Your five favorite movies.
Heathers, Pulp fiction, Coming to America, Once Were Warriors and Juno.

Tell us something weird about you.
I've never watched a soap opera or read a romance novel.

Do you speak a foreign language?
I wish.

Ever wish you’d studied a different subject in college?
Just more—psychology.

Favorite pie?
Apple.

Spring or fall?
Both.

Which celebrity shares your birthday?
Georgia O’Keeffe.

Last book you gave as a gift.
Shrinking Violet:)

Pick three words to go on your tombstone.
Dreamer. Lover. Laugher.

Five things you would do with $100,000.
Pay student loans. Fix some things in my house. Go on a beach vacation. I'm sure my kids would drag me to Toys R' US. And buy books!

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Purple.

Early bird or night owl?
Night Owl.

Tattoos?
Not yet.

Where would you like to travel that you haven’t yet?
Everywhere!

Chocolate chip cookies or snickerdoodles?
Chocolate chip.

Write a spam subject line for us.
Enlarge Your Member.

What’s your favorite childhood Halloween costume?
Gypsy.

Best present anyone ever gave you?
Framed rose.

What books are on your night-stand right now?
Debs books and MTV books.

If someone made you sing karaoke – you couldn’t refuse! – what would you sing?
Hey There, Delilah.

Who do you wish you could meet, living or dead?
Helen Keller.

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Danielle!

Friday Five - Flower-bearing Edition

2009-05-16T03:57:38Z

Remember this entry?

Below the cut are photos of that same branch after it leafed out (leaved?), and those weird snaky shoots as they look now. Maybe someone knows what they are – the plants with the pretty little white bells?

To round out the Friday Five, I also included a photo of my angel birdbath and a blue columbine.

Have a floriferous weekend, all!

Staghorn sumac.

Art, Outings, and Stones

2009-05-12T13:04:57Z

Hi!

Howzit goin’?

I’m in a good mood, because a) it’s my sister’s birthday - happy birthday, Peepee! and b) BAM is going well. My plan to spend more time in my Real Life instead of my Laptoppy Life is actually succeeding!

I went to the Portland Art Museum Sunday to see an exhibit that is making only one US appearance … in Portland!

It’s French Painting in the Time of Madame de Pompadour.* There were lots of pink cheeks and dimpled bottoms and nipples peeping coyly out of dresses. Lots of angels and cherubs and cupids.

But it wasn’t all rococo madness. There was one artist – Fragonard – who painted a dark scene of washerwomen in which the most lovely yellow spot of color, strategically placed in the center of the canvas, is the actually the upturned bottom of a laundress. Sly 18th century dog! You can see it here.

I took a (non-flash) photo of this painting by Jean Baptiste Marie Pierre, “The Abduction of Europa.” I had forgotten the myth of Europa – that’s the one in which Zeus turns himself into a tame bull to entice her onto his back. (Oh Zeus, you crazy, fickle, shape-shifting menace!) Then he plunges into the sea with her, and carries her to Crete, where she becomes Queen.

It looks like Zeus had some help from a giant fish and a merman.

After the visit to the museum, I ~~forced~~ invited my son to join me in making steppingstones. (Hey, I didn’t make him come with me to the museum!)

So it was a successful day of OUTINGS and ART.

I’m adding another prize to the contest giveaway – these cute little Debo keychains, which are part of a limited edition series of “Making sure you always have a working pen within reach” superheroes. INORITE?! So cute and helpful! I bought enough to let each of my three winners pick which one they want.

There’s something very satisfying about juxtaposing this crazy, colorful Japanimation-looking toy with the very French classical painting above.

So here are the rules of the contest again, briefly:

1) Do some RL stuff during the month of May that you would not normally do, because you’re busy hanging out in cyberspace.

2) Take a picture of said RL stuff, as proof that you got up from your chair, left the orbit of your Interwebz, and did it. With some kind of time stamp or sign that tells me you did it in May 2009.

3) Post it on your blog, or email me the photo, if you can’t post photos on your blog. (lkmadigan [at] gmail {dot} com)

At the end of May, I will pick winners in the categories of ART, OUTINGS, and PEOPLE.

You get rewarded for getting out of your rut!

Prizes will include books, Moonstruck chocolates, a pen guardian superhero, and maybe even an ARC of my book. (OMG, I just went to the Moonstruck site, and their home page made me drool. Literally. Saliva just flooded my mouth.)

Let’s see, what else?

*bounces*

(Maybe too much coffee this morning?)

I think that's all for now. Okay, I'm going.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Edited to add: If you want a copy of my ARC, and you don't want to do BAM, you can bid on it at the auction for Bridget Zinn .

* When I was trying to explain to my son who Madame de Pompadour was, I found myself saying, “Remember that Doctor Who episode about Madame de Pompadour?” “No.” “Remember? The Girl in the Fireplace?” “No.” “Remember? There were those freaky robots with the white wigs?” “No.” (Doctor Who gets up to some bizarre plotlines, doesn’t it?) After my pop culture reference, I did try to describe her in a more historically accurate way. :-)