Two Things

One -


I've finished my own Fear Itself Challenge. I just need to post the review. And I have to say, I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I've Have to Kill You is total redemption. You'll see more in my review.

Two -

And now for something completely different . . .


Thank you, Lizzie. Nom, nom, nom. That is all.

Moar Awards!

Again, I swear I didn't really let them pile up. 10 days, at most! That's not a pile-up, is it?

I was awarded the Honest Scrap Award from Lea at YA Book Queen, Nicole at WORD for Teens and Miss Cindy at Simple Life and Reading! Thank you so much! And it's a little telling that I received the same award from three different blogs in a week and a half. LOL! Should I be worried?

This award is bestowed on a fellow blogger whose blog content or design is, in the giver’s opinion, brilliant. This award is about bloggers who post from their heart, who oftentimes put their heart on display as they write from the depths of their soul.

I'm supposed to list ten honest things about myself and then pass it on to seven other honest bloggers but since I just doled this one out fairly recently, I'm going to pass on the specifics. If you think you're totally honest and would like to snag the award for yourself, by all means be my guest!

I was also given the Kreative Blogger Award from Choco at In Which a Girl Reads! A huge, huge thank you! For this one I'm supposed to list my seven favorite things and then pass it along to seven more bloggers. I know I've handed this one out a few times already and since my brain's a sieve and I'm way too OCD to be comfortable with repeating myself and giving out the award to the same blogger twice, I'm just going to leave this one open as well. If you want it, you got it!

And ten points to anyone that can tell my what my seven favorite things are! I know I've listed them here on a couple of occasions. :)

Labyrinth by ACH Smith

First published in 1986.

Everything is unfair. No one understands her. She is alone in a friendless world. This is how young Sarah feels when she is left behind yet again by her father and hated step-mother to look after her baby brother Toby. Outside a storm is raging, inside Toby is screaming his head off; in a fit of temper, Sarah wishes the goblins would come and take him away. Unfortunately, they do.

Suddenly, Sarah is plunged into a whirlwind adventure. She must get Toby back from the center of the mysterious labyrinth within thirteen hours - or else Jareth, king of the goblins, will keep him forever. The journey is long and dangerous, and the odds are stacked against her. Can she rise to the first real challenge of her young life? (book back blurb)

First I just want to say that the copy I have doesn't have that cover since I have the UK version of the book but I couldn't find that particular one. *sigh* Substitutes. I'll live.

Anyway, as Hollywood is wont to do now, because, apparently, they've smoked their creativity away, and adapt movies from books, it used to be heavily the other way around. I'm not sure how many movie novelizations have been made recently but they used to be very common. Labyrinth was one of them. The person writing the novelization really didn't have too much creative license with what they were given but if they were given enough information, and had the talent, they could write an amazing adaptation of a movie.

I have The Lost Boys movie novelization and it's one of the most skeletal, sterile books I own and the only reason I own it is because it's Lost Boys. The author claims that he was basically given the script and told to turn it into a book. He didn't have any insight into the characters, nothing, so he had to work with what he was given. I haven't read any of his other books but, really, that writing doesn't make me want to, either.

ACH Smith on the other hand wrote an amazing novelization that's so rich in language that it would have fared just fine had the movie never existed. Not that I'm saying I don't want the movie to exist. God, why would I do such a stupid thing? I'm just saying, the novelization's really good.

Usually movie novelizations offer some "deleted scenes" that we don't get to see in the movie. Labyrinth, however, stuck really closely to the final cut of the film with only minor deviations and much more internal workings. We're able to get deeper into Sarah's, Jareth's and Hoggle's heads than the movie could provide. Not to mention Smith didn't hide from the subtext of sexual tension in the film in the book. It was right there for all to see on the pages, never mind Sarah was just 15 and the Goblin King, well, wasn't. The book never does say how old Jareth is but David Bowie wasn't even in the realm of legal to a 15 year old. Not that that stops the fanfiction writers any.

What I like about the book that the movie doesn't touch on as much is the aspect of growing up. Sarah very much lives in a fantasy land and at 15, it can be argued that, maturity-wise, she's a little behind because of it. But as the story goes on and her quest becomes more and more solid in her head and she carries that burden of responsibility, Sarah grows up. At the end of the movie, Sarah calls all her Labyrinth friends back to her and they come and they have a grand old time. In the book, one of the characters tells her, "Sometimes to need is to let go." You can't walk around with that security blanket for the rest of your life, right? Sure, you need it but, eventually, you have to let it go. She tells them she needs them, but they don't come. She has to stand on her own now. It's a much more adult ending. Or mature, I should say.

The book is just as rich and vibrant as the movie and Smith does an amazing job of recreating Jim Henson's and Brian Froud's world into words. Smith's a very talented writer and his way around a character's emotions is just astounding. The way he was able to get into their heads and make them three-dimensional even on the page makes me envious. Sure, it helps that I picture everything as clear as day as it is in the movie, and I'm slightly biased, but it's a really good read regardless.

If you can find a copy of this book, hold onto it for dear life. It's out of print and the copies available in various places are not by any means cheap. I was lucky enough to get my copy on eBay back before the website was anywhere near as popular as it is now so the competition was much lower. I don't remember how much I paid for it but rest assured, I will cut you if you come near it.

Author Bites - Melissa Kantor on Being a Deer

I loved The Amanda Project: Invisible I so much that I had to get Melissa Kantor to do a guest blog. Yay! It didn't take shameless begging! And an even bigger yay that I get the honor of hosting her first guest blog ever! Wheee! Thank you so much, Melissa, for coming by and your words on just being you are inspiring. Enjoy, everyone!

So a while back, this really cool editor called and asked if I wanted to work on this incredible series she was creating, the story of Amanda Valentino, a girl who shows up at Orion high in October of freshman year, turns everybody’s lives upside down (including the school’s vice principal’s) and then…disappears leaving clues for three of her friends (each of whom though s/he was Amanda’s only friend). The three guides (that’s what Amanda called them) have nothing in common. Callie’s an I-Girl—a member of the most popular clique in the grade. Hal’s a loner (a hottie loner, but a loner nonetheless). Nia’s the class pariah (she foolishly took it upon herself to turn Heidi Bragg—Queen Bee and head I-Girl—in for cheating on a quiz in junior high).

The three of them have to work together to decipher the messages Amanda’s sending them, and over the course of the novel they start to discover that maybe, just maybe, they’re not the people they thought they were. Callie, who narrates Invisible I (Book One of The Amanda Project, and the one I wrote) finds out having a cool group of friends and a cute boyfriend isn’t all it’s cracked up to be; when she’s not working to solve the mystery of who Amanda is (turns out she’s not who she said she was, btw), Callie (and, I’m guessing, Hal and Nia) solve the mysteries of themselves.

The Amanda Project has two components, the eight-book series (read chapter one on my website if you want to check it out—melissakantor.com) and a website (theamandaproject.com). The website’s a world of its own, and I won’t even try to summarize it except to say you can make up a character, write yourself into the story, get published, meet other cool writer types and, if you’re so inclined, buy some cool swag.

But I digress.

One of the many things you can do on theamadaproject.com is take the “What’s Your Totem?” quiz. Recently, I took it and I discovered that I am a deer. This means that I am not a horse or a raven or a (most importantly) tigress. If you’ve already taken the quiz, and if you’re a deer, too, you know that we deer are loyal and generous, true friends, people who, when you call out our name, come running to see you again.

And all of these are, I know, really great qualities. Fabulous qualities, in fact, I mean, I value my friendships. If one of my friends is in trouble, I want her to call me. And I will be there.

Still…

If you’re a deer, the store that embodies the qualities of deer-ness is The Gap. And “you, but a city” is Minneapolis. And I’m not dissing Minneapolis (where I’ve never actually been), but…

But let’s be honest—if I’m a city, I want to be New York. And if I’m a store, I want to be…I don’t know, Henri Bendel. Or Takashimaya. Or maybe Mistress Mine, this incredibly cool vintage clothing store on Seventh Avenue South.

I mean, The Gap? Kill me.

The truth is, I don’t think I’d be so upset about this whole totem quiz thing if I read the characteristics of The Deer and thought, This is not me. I’d, you know, chuckle about how silly these kinds of generic quizzes are and I’d never think about it again. Unfortunately, the character profile of me the deer? Dead on. I love Jennifer Grey in dirty dancing—the “ugly” sister with a spunky streak who gets the cute guy (yes, I know he’s dead now, that’s not my point) in the leather jacket. If I were a song, I would be “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (a song my best friend and I still quote to each other when the shit hits the fan). Because, yes, I am just that cheesy.

Of course, I could fake-take the quiz and find out—Oh my god, I’m a tigress! That’s right, people! You’d better watch out for me or you will feel my claws. In. Your. Back. Me but a store?

Please! Like I’d ever be a store.

And as I said, I wouldn’t know because I answered honestly, but something tells me those tigresses aren’t one of the twin cities. Start spreading the news, honey, we all know their civic equivalent.

Yeah, just a few dishonest clicks of the mouse, and I can be a part of it.

Before I took the totem quiz, I’d sworn off those magazine-type quizzes for just this reason—they always revealed that I was “the good friend” not the sexy siren, the “wise sage,” not the ingénue. Starting with Seventeen (“Are you his dream prom date?”) and all the way through Cosmo (“Could you be his fantasy?”), the answer was always no. I didn’t go to the prom, and if anyone’s fantasizing about me right now, he’s keeping it on the DL.

In my old age, I’ve more or less come to terms with who I am. I am not spontaneous. I am not devil may care. I am not one of those women with crazy hair who’s always losing her keys.

I’m not a tigress. Whatever. It’s all good.

The Amanda Project is about finding the real you. And I’m all for a little healthy self-discovery. Yet I find wondering if taking the “What’s Your Totem” quiz was really such a great idea.

Because truth be told, it’s still a little sad to find out you’re a deer.

Sunday Contest Slurry

Ends ??? (hurry, hurry!)

Choice of one of 3 books - Cindy at Princess Bookie

Ends 11/15 (hurry up!)

Year of the Horse by Justin Allen - Sophie at Mrs. Magoo Reads

Ends 11/19

3 signed ghostgirl and ghostgirl: Homecoming by Tonya Hurley sets - Free Book Friday Teens

Ends 11/21

Signed ARC of The Dark Divine by Bree Despain plus other fun stuff - Lauren at Shooting Stars Mag

Ends 11/22

3 books, 2 YA and 1 adult - Jess at Book Reviews by Jess

Ends 11/23

Explorer X-Alpha by LM Preston plus a poster book - Lost in a Book

Ends 11/24

Are U 4 Real? by Sara Kadefors - Kristi at The Store Siren

Are U 4 Real? by Sara Kadefors - Marie at Cupcake Witch

Ends 11/25

5 signed copies of Survival of the Fiercest: A Sloane Sisters Novel by Anna Carey - Kristi at The Story Siren

Ends 11/26

Deadly Little Lies by Laurie Stolarz - Tina at Fantastic Book Review

Ends 11/27

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran - Enna at Squeaky Books

The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell - Kristi at The Story Siren

Ends 11/29

Set of 4 Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz novels - Jess at Book Reviews by Jess

Ends 11/30

Hold Still by Nina Lacour - Liviania at In Bed with Books

Ends 12/1

Ex-Mas by Kate Brian - Callie at Handle Like Hendrix

Ends 12/2

When the Whistle Blows by Fran Cannon Slayton - Sophie at Mrs. Magoo Reads and Melanie at Melanie's Musings

Ends 12/3

2 sets of Lament and Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater - Right here on Bites

Ends 12/18

1,000 Follower Contest with multiple winning options - Kristi at The Story Siren

Ends 12/29

Signed copy of The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley - Amy at Addicted to Books

Go To Hell

That's what Maurice Sendak, author and illustrator of Where the Wild Things Are, is telling parents who feel the movie adaptation is too frightening for young children. He's also telling said frightened children to go home and/or went their pants.

I so love this man.

But is it ok? Of course I think it is but I also think that the level of ok of telling parents to go to hell if they have problems with certain books also depends on what mouth it's coming out of. Would it still be ok if Judy Blume said it? Or would the collective media gasp and wonder what happened to such a nice woman? Is such language expected of an aging male? Oh, he's just the cranky guy but what he says is so funny! Is it only ok if it comes out of the right mouth?

Surely I'd be the bitch author and a publicity nightmare if I came out during a press conference and told parents who took issue with my books to eat shit. Regardless of the fact that I think I would still garner a lot of support, I'm still not going to look good to a lot of people. But does Sendak still look ok? Does he appear to be any crankier or moodier of a person because he's basically telling cranky parents to fuck off?

What do you think?

Things I've Learned from Books + 28

Be careful what you wish for. You could end up with a Goblin King in your bedroom . . .

O_o

I wish . . .

(Yes, this is a book too!)

80s Awesomeness! ~ 37

Bracelets!!!

Not like the concept of a bracelet was born in the 80s and it's not like they're not worn anymore. But I'm talking about those huge, gaudy, loud, plastic bracelets. You know the ones. They clanked whenever you moved your arm. And let's not forget those rubber bracelets that Madonna made so popular. You had to have those wedged into your arm somewhere too. And you weren't cool unless you had at least 6 inches of arm covered in bracelets. For sure.

Freaky Friday :|: 37

Title: The Waitress
Author: Sinclair Smith
Published: 1992
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: Roughly 144 pages
Summary:

The food is great. The service deadly. Dying for a good meal? Come on over to the Dog House, where Paula works after school. It's a great place to meet friends--if they are still alive. At the Dog House accidents can happen, and they often do. You could wind up with more than just an upset stomach. You might just wind up dead. Of course, when things go wrong everybody always blames the waitress. Now Paula's first job might be her last. (from fantasticfiction.co.uk)

Well this sounds interesting. Now I'd like to get my hands on this. It's Point Horror so it's gotta have some goodness, right? But am I the only one that's reminded of that Simpsons' Tree House of Horrors episode where the kids at Springfield Elementary were being made into food by the teachers and the principal?

Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater + Contest!

Published October 1, 2009.

James Morgan has an almost unearthly gift for music. And it has attracted Nuala, a soul-snatching faerie muse who fosters and then feeds on the creative energies of exceptional humans until they die. James has plenty of reasons to fear the faeries, but as he and Nuala collaborate on an achingly beautiful musical composition, James finds his feelings towards Nuala deepening. But the rest of the fairies are not as harmless. As Halloween—the day of the dead—draws near, James will have to battle the Faerie Queen and the horned king of the dead to save Nuala's life and his soul. (bn.com)

You know, I know a lot of people, A LOT, really like Maggie Stiefvater's books. A lot. I'm not one of them. I think they're superfluous, overwritten and disingenuous to the characters she writes. I somewhat enjoyed her lyrical writing in Lament although I wished she would have gotten to the point faster. In Ballad I was completely over it and still wished she'd get to the damn point already.

There's a lot of pining in this one: James for Dee, Dee for Luke (whom she knew for like 2 weeks before he got sucked back into Faerie, yeah, totally believable for utter love, thanks for that SMeyer, you wench). And it's unenduring. SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY! I get you. You want Dee but she doesn't see you that way. You want Luke but you're probably never going to see him again, not to mention your emotions are completely unfounded and you use that rejection as a means to use James in an attempt to fill a void that only backfires on you. God I'm so sick of this emo crap.

Nuala was a cool chick and probably the only one that remained true to herself in terms of writing. I loved her spunk and her snark and her all around attitude. You know, if I was burned every 16 years, I'd probably be bitter too.

But with James, Stiefvater just couldn't help going all lyrical and describing things in a way that, from what I've gathered of him, he would never say. His great personality shined through in most of his dialogue but his rambling diatribes of inner monologues just screamed to me "WRITER FLEXING FINGERS!" than being believable as really coming from the character's head.

The good thing was that Nuala's and James's relationship is so much more believable. It develops so much more naturally and while it still happens in what I see as a short amount of time (2 months), it's still developed longer than Dee's and Luke's was, not to mention it was actually developed. I actually felt for James at the end when he had to make a decision between Dee and Nuala. I truly believed that his heart was torn between the two. Him and Nuala are such better characters than Dee and Luke, I just wish Stiefvater would let the character speak for himself instead of inserting her language into his head.

I feel the book could have easily been half the length and still maintained the intensity of the story than what it is now. It meanders too long on the details, on the intricacies. We could have gotten all of that information in a much more compact setting and still maintained the feelings for the characters. In fact, I think cutting out a lot of that needless verbiage would have done a service for the characters. I hated being in James's head because all he did was pine for Dee for 3/4 of the book. God how boring that got. I get it. Move on with the story. Nuala was interesting albeit just as redundant at times. Just say it and move on. I found myself not really wanting to pick the book back up because for most of the book, it's more of the same. It's a lead up to the final battle that ended just as quickly as it did in Lament and, for me, it left the same kind of dissatisfaction that it was all resolved a little too easily. Granted it was more painful for the characters this time around and it affected them more but the grand picture, the big production, wrapped rather nearly for my taste.

I really commend Stiefvater on her knowledge of Irish fey. She doesn't go into grand detail on them and her research doesn't show, which is a really good thing (her superfluousness hangs around characters as characters) and I liked what she included in her mythology. It just made me that much more interested in fairies and the fey. The balance between having enough of them to understand what's going on and not being an overkill was expertly held. I just with she did that with her characters and the plot as a whole.

The only reason I read this book was because I had it sitting in my pile from BEA. I wouldn't have bothered otherwise.

Contest Time!!!

So I have 2 ARCs of Lament and 2 ARCs of Ballad. I'll have two winners that'll get one of each! You want a set? Here's what you have to do--

Leave a comment with your email answering this question--

What's your favorite fey?

No answer, no entry. Period.

+2 for new followers
+3 for current followers
+3 for linking (up to 3 for a total of +9)

Contest is open to US residents only and will end on December 3rd at midnight, EST. Good luck!