Library Run!!!

Raleigh's Page by Alan Armstrong

Beyond the Spiderwick: The Nixie's Song by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holy Black

Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi

Nobody's Princess by Esterh Fresner

Dave at Night by Gail Carson Levine

Dating Hamlet: Ophelia's Story

Avalon High by Meg Cabot

Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Summer Vacation

Everyone has their own definition of home.

'home is where the heart is’
‘home is where your loved ones are’
‘home is where ever you family is’

While all these are true and meaningful I now have my own definition. Home is where you can be yourself. My trip to Idaho was fabulous! I enjoyed every minute of it, except when we left of course.. Thank you to all my friends who fed me, housed me, and took time to see me. I love you all!

Some of my highlights are below:
1. Good “hang” time with my friends

2. M. Night Shyamalan's marathon. Erin and I watched all of his movies (except The Happening, in one week, it was amazing!)

3. Hiking, playing games, and celebrating 4^th of July with great friends

4. Watching Camp Rock (and tearing it apart with Erin).
5. Getting my new computer. Brady had just shown me something so awesome!

6. Visiting with our friends in Seattle

7. Singing and performing with Erin

Random pics from the week:

The TV Show LOST. (no spoilers)

I don’t watch a lot of TV, probably because we don’t have cable. But, that doesn’t mean I’m out of the loop. Lost has been rising steadily on the charts and with the season finale (it ran for 7 years) being this year even more advertising has been going on. While surfing online, I figured out that I could watch the first 4 seasons of Lost online, for free. FOR FREE! ;D Anyways, I started and couldn’t stop. As of right now, I’m through the 3rd season heading to the 4th.

The reasons I like this show are many.

The quality acting: Being stranded on an island would be a very emotionally scaring event in your life. Different people would experience different things, tempers would flare and kindness would abound. The cast in this show has to make it real and they do for me.
Plot: The storyline in this show is just so cool. Yeah, 30 some odd people survive a horrific plane crash and are not able to make contact because where they are is not exactly on the map, but hey, nothing is impossible right? ;) Anyways, the way everything ties together through all the seasons is pretty impressive. Even though I haven’t watched the end of season seven I’m almost positive that questions will be answered that were asked in season 1.

Continuous surprises: Kind of continuing on from the plot, the surprises in this show are shocking. A lot of times I can predict the endings of movies and shows or guess the next “shocker” scene. I’ve guessed only a couple so far, everything else has been so unique. ..
Many emotions I get: *whew* I can’t tell you how many times I felt for these characters. My gut dropped when they came upon a hard challenge, I giggled for joy when they succeeded, my stomach hurt when they were in pain, and when they were sad or when someone or something died the sorrow I felt was hard to deal with.

Now, you may ask me: Traci, why are you still watching this show when at some point it completely takes over your emotions. My answer is: because I like it. To me, when a book, movie, or person can mess with my emotions it is well written, well done, or well spoken. My goal in writing and acting is to be so powerful and so open that I can let people into my emotions while opening theirs up. People talk about drastic ways to change the world; recycle, think green, minimize driving time, etc.

All of these ideas might or might not help us in the future, but I think that before the world is changed we as people need to be more willing to understand other people’s feelings and emotions as well as our own.

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier

Parking Fairies: Fairies who help you get the best parking spaces anywhere, anytime.

Yep, that sounds amazing, but for Charlie it’s the worst thing that could ever happen to her. Why couldn’t she get a shopping fairy or a good hair fairy? The problem with Charlie’s particular fairy is that her family is always wanting her to accompany them every possible event where the parking is so called, “impossible.” This gets old after 14 years. She is continuously looking for a solution to her problem until one day she gets a lead on a possible way, but it could involve danger and maybe even ultimate death.

The title to this book is really luring and I was really excited when it came in the mail. I couldn’t wait to read it. While the story idea was definitely interesting it lacked plot development and the characters were pretty shallow. I was left with unanswered questions and a slight misunderstanding of everything.

Interview - N.A. Nelson

N.A. Nelson is a debut author with her first book being 'Bringing the Boy Home'. (see review here)
She was also a part of Class of 2k8. To learn more about N.A. Nelson go here.

I read somewhere that you are going to donate some of your book proceeds to the Amazon Conservation Team . How did that come about?

I’m going to take that question in its most literal sense. I was sitting in the waiting room of my ophthalmologist’s office, leafing through my InStyle magazine and I came to this article about celebrities and the philanthropic causes they support. Hilary Swank sounded so passionate in her interview, and although I don’t remember what her cause was (which is terrible of me), it stirred me into thinking. Wait, I could do that with my book. I SHOULD do that with my book. And so I went home and googled Mark J. Plotkin, author of Tales of a Shaman’s Apprentice (a book I used a lot in my research), found The Amazon Conservation Team (ACT), emailed them and said "I want to work with you guys."

If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be?
The Dalai Lama

Who do you relate with the most, Tirio or Luka?
I think I’m a combination of them both. I’m like Tirio in that I needed to prove some things to certain people in my life, things I didn’t realize I needed to prove until after the book was written and my husband asked me this exact same question. And I’m like Luka in that I don’t usually like to lure giant spiders out of their lairs while I’m wearing a blindfold. J

If you could have the whole world’s attention for 5 minutes, what would you say?
To be still. To turn off all electronic and battery powered devices, to get out of cars, stop talking and just be present for five minutes. I know not everyone knows how to meditate, but I think just the action of us all being still together would be pretty powerful.

Are you currently working on another book right now? If so, what is it about?
Thanks so much for asking! Unfortunately I made a new rule about a year ago not to talk about my works-in-progress. I was pretty badly burned after sharing a manuscript before it was ready and I was 'thisclose' to giving up writing altogether because of the block that I got after it. Only my critique group has access to my early drafts. But I will say that my next novel is very different than Bringing the Boy Home; it’s a contemporary, humorous, YA with a female protagonist and it takes place in the good ol’ US of A. I will also say, I’m having fun with it.

I see you are participating in Class of 2k8. How has that worked out for you and would you recommend it for other debut authors?
I am so fortunate to be in the Class of 2k8 and I would definitely, without a doubt, do it all over again. THAT being said, it does take work. It does take time. It does take money. If you realize those things up front and are prepared to be part of a team, through all the ups and downs , then yes, I would recommend it to other debut authors. I can go into any bookstore now and see books from 27 other authors whose journeys I know from beginning to end. I’ve learned more about marketing than I ever did in my college marketing class. I’m a smarter, more savvy, confident person because of the Class of 2k8 and I know Bringing the Boy Home got a definite sales boost because of my participation in this group.

Thank you so much Nina for taking the time to answer my questions!

Happy 4th of July!!

If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my family by my side

I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.

That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

-Lee Greenwood

Tags

First tag(from Erin): List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your summer. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.

1. Take a Bow by Rihanna
2. This is Me by Demi Lovato
3. Apologize by One Republic
4. When Your Gone by Avril Lavigne
5. Fearless by Daechelle
6. For Good by Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth
7. Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis

Second Tag (from Hannah):
- Link the person who tagged you.
- Mention the rules in your blog.
- Tell about 6 funky quirks of yours.
- Tag 3 following bloggers by linking them.
- Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers' blogs letting them know they've been tagged and telling them to go to your blog for the details.

1) What were you doing 10 years ago?
getting ready for our neighborhood's annual clown parade...

2) What are 5 things on your to-do list today?
1.pick up my Dad from airport
2. clean room
3.watch Lost
4. Get Kelsie a birthday present
5. get well

3) The last 3 books you've read
Out of the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst
The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante
Under a War-Torn Sky by L.M. Elliot

4) Snacks you enjoy
bread, JELL-O, plain ground beef, apples, oreos

5) Things you would do if you were a billionaire
give lots of money to my family, build an organization that helps out Christian actors, actresses, dancers, singers, etc.

6) People you want to know more about
my birth parents, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Harriet Tubman, and hmm...oh KIKI STRIKE!!

I tag: anyone :D