Category: Entertainment

Tuesday Tunes: Give In To Me

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Okay. New favorite song alert!

Give In To Me is from the movie Country Strong (which I have STILL not seen… boo!) and is sung by Faith Hill on the soundtrack. While her version is lovely, I like the movie version so much more. It’s a perfect duet. Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester sing it with so much heart and emotion.  And really, I’m gonna start a fire/You’re gonna feel the heat/I’m gonna burn for you/You’re gonna melt for me ? Yeah. Love.

Here’s the Country Strong clip, with lyrics below:

I’m gonna wear you down
I’m gonna make you see
I’m gonna get to you
You’re gonna
Give in to me

I’m gonna start a fire
You’re gonna feel the heat
I’m gonna burn for you
You’re gonna melt for me

Come on, Come on in to my arms
Come on, Come on
Give in to me

You’re gonna take my hand
Whisper the sweetest words
And if you’re ever sad
I’ll make you laugh
I’ll chase the hurt

My heart is set on you
I don’t want no one else
And if you don’t want me
I guess I’ll be all by myself

Come on, Come on, into my arms
Come on, Come on
Give in to me

I’ll use my eyes to draw you in
Until I’m under your skin
I’ll use my lips
I”ll use my arms
Come on, Come on
Give in to me

Give in to me

*Lyrics by: Billy Falcon, Rose Falcon and Elisha Hoffman

Friday Five: What’s Up This Week

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1) Queries – I’ve sent out several. Two (at least) every day this week. It’s tedious business, but exciting too. I found a great database of middle grade and young adult publishers and agents over at Jay Eckert’s Sharpened Pen blog. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the querying trenches like me. I found some agents on his list that, while they don’t have a huge web presence (Twitter, blog, etc.), seem to be pretty amazing. Here’s to some positive responses in the coming weeks!

2) Six Feet Under – Best. Show. Ever. (With the only exception being, possibly, Dexter.) My husband and I started watching Six Feet Under sometime around July. We started with Season One (thank you, NetFlix!) and have been plowing through the series ever since. I LOVE IT. Fully realized, terribly flawed characters. Completely unpredictable. It’s heartbreaking and funny and pushes all sorts of envelopes. Plus, it’s got Michael C. Hall, who is nothing short of fabulous. You know what cemented my Six Feet Under love, though? The series finale. The strongest of any series I’ve ever watched. Total and complete closure, which I appreciate because I’m the kind of crazy that wonders what happens to characters I love in the future. Seriously. I can’t sing the praises of this show enough. 

3) Authors vs. Writers – I read a lot about this debate… What makes you an author? What makes you a writer? When do you get to call yourself either? I’ve always gone with this: You’re an author when you manage to get a book traditionally published. You’re a writer until then. In other words, writers are the people who haven’t quite made it yet. Well, today I read literary agent Sarah LaPolla’s wise blog post, Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off, and completely changed my tune. Here’s what Sarah said: To me, a writer is a person who is serious about his or her craft and has the drive, knowledge, and skill to someday get published. An author is someone who has been published. See? I like her take so much better, and therefore I am officially adopting it. You should check out the rest of her post as well.

4) Living Dead Girl, by Elizabeth Scott – I finished this book the other day and I’m still thinking about it, though I struggle with words to describe it. Horrifying, definitely. Beautifully written, yes. Also courageous, heartbreaking, graphic and important. And the ending… Though it was a quick read, this book kept me up most of the night because I could not get “Alice” and her story out of my head. Do I recommend it? Yes… but perhaps not if you are easily disturbed.

  
5) Tangled – Rapunzel’s story might be my new favorite Disney movie (and I’m a Disney fanatic!). It is amazingly well done. My three-year-old daughter has seen it twice and is completely obsessed. The other day we bought the soundtrack and have been listening to it CONSTANTLY in the car. And you know… I don’t even mind. In fact, I’d venture to say that I enjoy the songs just as much as my Munchkin does. They are that cute. That clever. If you haven’t seen Tangled, you should. Even if you don’t have little ones. 🙂 

RTW: Movie to Book?

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Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on their own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This week’s topic: What Movie Do You Wish Had Been a Book First? (and, to add, if it WERE a book, who should have written it?)

Assuming we’re staying on a YA path today, I’m choosing 2004’s The Girl Next Door. Emile Hirsch plays Matthew, the naive, over-achieving high school senior with big dreams, and Elisha Cuthbert plays Danielle, the sweet, weirdly endearing former porn star who moves in next door.

Ooh, I bet I stopped you with the whole porn star mention! Yeah, I felt that way too when I first read the blurb on the back of The Girl Next Door at Blockbuster several years ago. Who wants to watch a movie about porn stars?  Still, I rented it because I love movies set high school and, let’s face it,  Emile Hirsch is pretty easy on the eyes.

I watched… and fell totally in love. The Girl Next Door is fast-paced, funny, sweet, and oddly realistic for all its shenanigans. It’s no raunchier than say, American Pie or Superbad, the soundtrack is fabulous, and the characters (for the most part) are incredibly likeable. Like all timeless teen movies, there’s skinny dipping, clueless parents, and prom. And the ending… it’s surprising and refreshingly mature. I watch The Girl Next Door EVERY time it comes on TV.

The book version of The Girl Next Door would be SUCH a fun read, and in my opinion, would fall neatly onto upper YA contemporary bookshelves. It has everything that’s popular in YA right now: big hook, steep character arcs, major stakes, a little adventure and a lot of steaminess. So, while it’s not something you can pick up in paperback form at Borders, I still recommend watching The Girl Next Door the next time you’re looking for a great movie.

What about you? What movie would you have loved to see in book form?

Friday Five: Harry Potter Edition

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In honor and celebration of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows release today, I find it only appropriate to share five of the billions of reasons I adore the Harry franchise. First, a little background… I started reading the Harry Potter series when I was 21, a junior in college. I was taking a children’s lit class (which was fabulous) and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was required reading. Honestly, I was reluctant–I’m not big into fantasy or magic, nor was I interested in reading a book told from the perspective of a ten-year-old boy. How on earth would Harry’s silly adventures hold my attention?  

Boy, was I stupid. I devoured that first book, then moved quickly to Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, and The Goblet of Fire. Sadly, that was it at the time. I had to wait for the subsequent novels like the rest of the world, but they sure were worth the wait. Never once was I disappointed in one of JK Rowling’s books. And JK herself… wow. I only dream of moving people the way she has with her series.

So, without further ramblings, here are my Friday Five reasons that Harry Potter is awesome…   

1) JK Rowling is a master world builder. From the foods that Harry and friends eat (butter beer and chocolate frogs? yes, please!), right down to the magical contents of their wands (a unicorn hair? a phoenix feather? so cool!), JK painted an alternate universe accessible only from Platform 9 3/4 that is full and colorful and complete. Her settings are amazing and play a part all their own in the books and movies. Plus, an entire THEME PARK is modeled off her world!

2) Harry Potter got kids (and everyone else!) reading. It’s cool to be a tiny part of a literary movement that’s such a worldwide phenomenon. I feel the same way about The Hunger Games trilogy and the Twilight series. Anything that unites people over books is good for publishing and great for literacy. The sheer numbers of Harry Potter books and movie tickets sold blows me away.

  
3) Characters, characters, characters. JK Rowling incorporated scores of them in her books, and each is unique and magical in his or her own way. There’s a Harry character everyone can relate to, whether it’s bumbling and good-hearted Neville Longbottom or hard-nosed but still sort of funny Minerva McGonagall. My favorite Harry Potter character? Hermione Granger, of course. Who doesn’t love a smart, strong girl who’s still capable of being one of the guys?

4) The Harry Potter movie stars are a class act. In a world of Disney Channel loons, seventeen-year-old rehabers and general bad behavior among many young actors, Daniel Radcliff, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint seem to have it all together. They’re diversely talented, smart and seemingly appreciative of their fame. Hopefully they continue on their journey of relative positivity because I, for one, find it very refreshing.

5) The Harry Potter series is moving. JK Rowling isn’t afraid to make you feel, to make you sad, or to kill off your favorite characters. She isn’t scared to force her characters into making hard decisions, and she doesn’t seem to be afraid of criticism or lynch mob book banners. She puts it all out there, and her series is amazing because of that. It takes a lot to move me, but when I saw this poster at the movie theater a few weeks ago…

 
…I looked at my husband and said, “Oh my God! That almost makes me a little teary!” He kind of rolled his eyes and looked at me like I was hormonal (don’t worry, he does that a lot), but I got the impression he might have felt it too. He’s not a super emotional person, but he’s more than down with taking me to see Deathly Hallows this weekend, so that says something. 🙂

What about you? Have you read Harry? Seen the movies? What do you love about the series?

Friday Five – What’s awesome this week?

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It’s a random Friday. I’m knee-deep in WIP, and therefore not reading a lot or watching much TV. But, I have gotten out a little and here are the things that make my awesome list this week. 🙂

1) Okay, movies first. I saw two last weekend and they both rocked (the Munchkin slept over at Mimi and Baba’s and my husband and I pulled a double feature!).

The Social Network – Fast paced, funny, and completely relevant. I was in college when Napster came out (I may or may not have had a few free songs downloaded on my computer. Shhh…) and have had Facebook for a few years now. The Social Network is a story of friendship, money and betrayal, and the impact of technology on masses of people. There’s really no good guy in this movie; at times, I was sympathetic to all of the main characters. The Social Network is proof that good ideas are a dime a dozen. Actually being able to execute them WELL is what’s important.

 

AND It’s Kind of a Funny Story –  Based on a YA novel, It’s Kind of a Funny Story reminded me of Little Miss Sunshine, a movie I adore. It’s a little bit dark, a little bit funny, and a lot heartfelt. The actors are adorable, and the movie focuses on a realistic teen with realistic problems (pressure at school, unrequited love, feelings of isolation). At times, it’s a little heavy-handed on its lesson (things are never as bad as they seem), but I still loved it.

2) I found a local independent new/used bookstore! A Good Book Cafe in Sumner, Washington might just be my new favorite place to buy books. They have a huge selection of all genres and are willing to special order anything they don’t stock. Plus, they took two huge boxes of old books off my hands in exchange for discounts and store credit. Yay! 

3) Vampire Diaries – I know it’s aimed at teens, blah, blah, blah, but I think Vampire Diaries is one of the best shows on TV. It’s steamy, with super sharp dialogue, new twists and turns in every episode, and a freakishly attractive cast. If you’re not watching, start with Season One. Too much goes on in each and every scene to jump in mid-Season Two. But do watch–definitely!

4) I found the perfect actor to play the romantic interest in the movie of my WIP, Where Poppies Bloom (hey, a girl can dream!). Meet Alex Pettyfer. Yeah. I know.

5) Last but not least, I have found my new favorite non-writing/non-publishing blog ever – www.whatclaudiawore.com. I have to admit, I was intensely fanatical about The Baby-Sitters Club when I was a kid. Not only did I read every. Single. Book, but, I owned most of the too. Silly as they seem now, I was an uberfan. My favorite character was Claudia Kishi, the Asian American girl with the almond-shaped eyes. So what if she sucked at school and had an insane candy addiction? She was arty and unique and she wore–seriously–the coolest clothes ever.  Somehow I’ve managed to stumble across a blog written by a twenty-something who shares in my previously dormant  Claudia obsession. Her posts are snarky and fun, featuring the way-too detailed descriptions of Claud’s outfits straight from the books’ text, with her witty commentary laced it. Lately, she’s been doing her take on the book covers too, which are nothing short of hilarious. Yep. Check it out! 🙂  

(Kristy pic from http://incredulouskristy.tumblr.com/, also worth checking out!)

Friday Five

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It’s a random one today… Five things I’ve been thinking about all week:

1) If You Really Knew Me – MTV’s new reality show (actual reality! not Jersey Shore-like trash!) is so thought-provoking and authentic and heartbreaking. Real teens are featured. Though they’re stereotyped at the opening of the show, as things progress we see that they’re layered and often troubled. Many have had rough childhoods and are carrying more baggage than I am at almost thirty. The show’s message is acceptance and empathy, encouraging teens to “be real,” without the usual preachiness of adult produced “helpful” television. Anyone who writes YA or is considering writing YA should give it a shot for a up-close look at teen issues today.

2) Agents/Querying – Funny how querying can almost be–*gasp*–fun! At least, that is, when you’re getting a decent response to your queries?submissions. My first querying effort with a novel that went nowhere was nothing but discouraging. Though I know the query was well-written and the first pages had voice and conflict, I only got two requests for additional material (both went nowhere) out of about two dozen queries. Yeah… that book, though it still holds a special place in my heart, had a fatal flaw: Lack of compelling hook.

The book I’m querying now (have been since mid-July) has had a much more positive response, for which I’m grateful. Five agents are currently considering it (two of them would be absolute DREAM agents!) and though the waiting game is no fun, I’m in a much more optimistic place.  Even if this particular book doesn’t land me an agent, I know now that I’m moving in the right direction and that makes me think that someday (fingers crossed!) I’m going to get there.

3) Stolen by Lucy Christopher – Oh. My. God. THIS BOOK. So beautiful and genius! Here’s the twisted thing: I read Stolen, about a kidnapping and a crazy, damaged, delusional villain of a man and at the end… I don’t know… I actually wanted the protagonist, Gemma, to end up with him. There was a deeper connection there. A mutual understanding. An intimacy. Yes, it’s so totally wrong, but Lucy Christopher layered these characters so brilliantly that the ending left me just as confused and torn as  Gemma was. I’m passing this one on to my mom and my sister-in-law, just so I’ll have people to talk to about it!

4) Conversely, I read another book this week that I didn’t like much at all. It’s a recent release with an awesome premise that’s gotten all kinds of attention: great blurbs from authors I respect, tons of twitter/blog love, I’ve even seen it in magazine ads. Some of my writing friends have read it and were totally into it. So, yeah, I was all pumped up about buying and reading it. Then I did and I was… disappointed? I found the plot fairly predictable, the dialogue annoying and the voice too snarky. 

I make a point to feature amazing books on this blog (see #3 above!), but when  I read a book I don’t care for, I usually just let it go. I’m not one publicly trash the work of someone else, which is why I don’t do actual book reviews. Still, I’m mentioning this book today because I can’t help but wonder what all of these people are seeing that I’m not. I mean, I know we all have differing tastes, but I was just SO disappointed by this read. Yet, others loved it.

Has this ever happened to you? Do you question the taste of those who thought differently from you? Do you trust their future recommendations?     

5) Preschool – This is writing related… I swear! My beautiful and adorable daughter started preschool last Friday. She cried the first two days when I dropped her off , then (and this is a direct quote from her!) “dried her tears and felt much better.” So, I get four extra quiet hours of writing time a week now! Not much, but I’ll take whatever I can get. I spend those hours at Borders, soaking up the awesomeness of the published books around me. Plus, my daughter is making new friends and coming out of her shell a bit. And that makes me a very happy mama!  

Friday Five – Summertime Edition

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1 – First, I have to rave about Jenny Han’s Summer series, of which the first two books I devoured in about 48 hours total. Amazing, amazing, amazing… and an extra amazing because I got to read them under the sun with my feet in my daughter’s kiddie pool!

 

Seriously, they’re the kind of books you read that make you want to quit writing because they are so beautiful and emotional, but simple and without airs, too. You want to BE the main character, because she’s adorable and has two awesome boys who love her. But at the same time, you’re glad you aren’t her, because she’s flawed and has impossible decisions to make. I can’t stop thinking about the characters and their love triangle that has no good outcome; I have a feeling that at least one of those characters I love is going to be left heartbroken.

2 – I’ve been listening to Kenny Chesney A LOT lately. He’s just so fabulous and has the very best summertime mood music… here’s my favorite:   

3 – Summer means a new season of one of my very favorite shows, Project Runway! I think Heidi Klum is so darn fabulous, I love the eccentric cast of designers they always seem to find, and Tim Gunn is my hero! Plus, the challenges are always so imaginative and fun. If you’ve never watched, I highly recommend giving it a shot. Lifetime, 9pm, Thursdays.

4 – Not a huge Zac Efron fan, but I’m dying to see the movie Charlie St. Cloud. From what I’ve seen, this movie looks like the perfect mix of romance, action, and emotion, all mixed up with a bit of a ghost story. Plus, when Zac Efron cries in the trailer, those big blue eyes all filled with tears, my heart just about breaks. Something about a guy torn up by the death of a family member really pulls at my heartstrings.  

5 – I think I’m ready for a new WIP! I need something to take my mind of the querying process, and what better than to dive head first into a new project? I think of it sort of like a rebound boyfriend after a bad break-up… I need something new to distract me and keep me busy while I work on distancing myself from the project that previously consumed me. So… my new WIP’s going to be set in the summer time, at a place sort of like this:

And I’m trying to weasel my husband into taking a trip (strictly for research 🙂 ) here:

And while we’re at it, I’ve been inspired by this too:

Hope you’re having a wonderful summer! 🙂

Friday Five!

1 – Savvy Authors (my favorite writing community) is hosting a Summer Symposium. Here’s the basic info: Join us for five days as we talk craft – from plot and character, to dialogue, suspense, theme and story question (with a bunch of stuff in between) in chats, Q&A forums and mini-workshops. Our presenters will be sharing what works – whether it’s world building or setting or layering in back story; or even if it’s a technical detail and the fruits of research, they’ll be exposing the craft that underlies a good story. We’ll also be talking about publishing and promoting, offering pitch opportunities to the attendees and raffling off books on craft from folks like James Scott Bell and Sherrilyn Kenyon, software such as Liquid Story Binder, 3-chapter critiques from published authors and more. Click here for more info! (Make sure to scroll down!)

2 – Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is one of my very favorite books and has been made into a miniseries that will air on Starz beginning July 23. We don’t get Starz, but you’d better believe I’ll be ordering it specifically so I can watch. The trailer is below and looks amazing, and if you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend checking it out.

3 – Had some major revision issues to think through this week, which led to long(er) showers, lengthy car rides and leisurely bike rides. My poor daughter was my little shadow, dutifully following wherever I went, chatting my ear off, cheerfully picking flowers on the long walks we took. Thankfully, I figured some plot stuff out and got plenty of exercise. I live in a small town on a river, surrounded by lots of farms. It is around these farms that I usually take my bike rides. The other day I took pictures. The quality isn’t the greatest (taken with my phone, not my actual camera!) but you’ll get point. I’m lucky!  

 

4 – Read a great article on writing the other day: Janet Fitch’s 10 Rules for Writers. Among them: Write the sentence, not just the story, Smarten up your protagonist, Learn to write dialogue, and Kill the cliché. Definitely worth checking out!

5 – My munchkin’s birthday is coming! She’ll be three on August 3rd (her golden birthday!) and we’re planning a big party for her. The official theme? The Princess and the Frog Mardi Gras Birthday Bash! I bought beads and little Mardi Gras masks for the kids and I’m serving virgin hurricanes and beneits (as well as all the traditional birthday treats). Super excited!

Friday Five: Eclipse Edition

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So, I went to see Twilight: Eclipse opening night. While I’m not a huge Twilight fan, I appreciate the books and movies for what they are: a romantic and action-packed escape from reality. I took my husband along who, at the very least, is a good sport. He’s not read the books, but he knows Eclipse was my favorite of the series and, after I repeatedly told him how the movie was supposed to be the best so far, he agreed to come along. Our experience was fun, random, and giggle-inducing. Here, for a Twilight-inspired Friday Five, is what I liked best about the movie and date night with my hubby…  


1) Lots more romance. What hooked me about the Twilight series was the romance. Call Edward a stalker if you will, (I might not argue) but Bella loves him and he loves her. The first two movies, in my opinion, were sorely lacking in romance. Eclipse makes up for that with lots of cute moments, sweet gestures and steamy kisses that actually felt genuine. I even bought into Bella’s kiss with Jacob, which says a lot.  

2) Crazy fans. I didn’t actually take the picture below, but these might as well have been the girls who sat behind us. Lots of cheering, lots of swooning, lots of love for Jacob. We had some middle-aged Twi-Moms, too (something I do NOT consider myself!) who did their fair share of cheering and giggling at the shirtless Jacob moments. We even had a group of high school age girls who came dressed in inappropriate and ill-fitting prom gear. What is with these movies and their ability to encourage people to let their freak flags fly?

On a similar note, we got to briefly observe the line of Last Airbender fans waiting for the midnight showing. Holy Crap. Again, I didn’t take the picture below, but I might as well have. The people waiting were in full (very poorly made) costumes. Maybe I’m sheltered, but I’d never even heard of Last Airbender until the movie trailers came out, so I was surprised to see the intensity of the fan level of these people. Good for them though, for braving the judgment of others to completely fan-girl/fan-boy out!

3) More Cullens. I like the Cullens. I like them a lot more than Edward, Jacob and Bella. I don’t, however, love how they were portrayed in the first two movies. Cheesy. Eclipse was better though! The Cullens were more natural, better dressed and seemed to have more of a spark. I loved Rosalie’s back story scene, I loved Jasper teaching the gang how to fight, and I loved the subtle interactions between the couples. In fact, the Cullen scenes were my favorite of the movie.   

5) Yay for battles that weren’t cringe worthy! The special effects of Eclipse were much better than the previous two movies. In fact, I didn’t find myself distracted and squirming every time a vampire ran, jumped or fought. The wolf phases seemed smoother, too. I’m sure it’s due mostly to the bigger budget, but kudos to the director of not half-assing the actions scenes. They were crucial to the movie and pretty well done.   

5) My husband came! He was deployed during the release of the last two movies, so I was excited to share in all the crazy with him this time around. Though he had some very random (funny and often inappropriate) running commentary, his presence was greatly appreciated. He’d die before admitting it, but I think he really enjoyed the movie. **He’s reading over my shoulder now muttering, “Untrue.”**

Friday Five

A very random Friday Five:

1)      My To-Read shelf is officially out of control again. I’m smack in the middle of Ken Follett’s World Without End, which is nothing short of AMAZING, but I’m looking forward to finishing because I’ve got three YA books I’ve already bought that I’m dying to read:

  

2)      So, I know I’m majorly late in jumping on the Six Feet Under bandwagon, (yes, I’m aware that it’s been off the air for years!) but it’s so amazing that I feel compelled to mention it here. If you like dark, dry, humorous, and thought-provoking (and are not easily offended), you simply must watch this show. I was a huge Michael C. Hall fan going in (Dexter, anyone?!), but I officially worship him now. Six Feet Under is my newest guilty pleasure.

  

3)      Thanks to Savvy Boot Camp and my amazing team, ANGST ARMY, I have finished the first draft of WIP (as I will continue to refer to it until I come up with a title I adore). I have written somewhere around 40,000 words this month and have started into Revisions: Phase One. I know I’m crazy and probably in the minority, but I love revising and editing and polishing! Also in Savvy Authors news—I have discovered that with almost constant camaraderie, writing is even more enjoyable. Loving the Savvy chat rooms! Don’t ever want to write alone again!

   

4)      My husband is coming home from a two-week work trip today! Though I did manage to write more than half of WIP during his absence, I have missed him greatly (as does my Munchkin). As an Army captain, he has deployed to some of the most despicable places on the planet, but this trip was to a tiny tropical island chain in the Indian Ocean. I’m slightly envious and wish I could have gone too, but he definitely deserved this trip. He got to Jet Ski and snorkel with sea turtles and got a wicked sunburn… lucky! Here’s a picture of where he was (emailed to me the other day):

 

5)      I don’t watch a lot of TV, but when I do, it’s almost always Bravo. Their newest show is called Work of Art and it’s very cool. Think the aesthetics of Project Runway mixed with competitiveness of Top Chef, plus paints, eccentric people, screen-printing, “found art,” and Sarah Jessica Parker producing. What’s not to love?