Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Wednesday Review



Okay, so I've been reading a lot lately and have a lot of reviews to catch up on. The first book I read in this round was this amazing one by Sara Zarr. Sweethearts. It was refreshing to read a contemporary. I haven't read one in a while and it reminded me of why I like them so much. The emotion. And Sara Zarr is an expert at eliciting strong emotion. This book was heartfelt and honest. I adored it.

blurb:

"As children, Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick were both social outcasts. They were also one another's only friend. So when Cameron disappears without warning, Jennifer thinks she's lost the only person who will ever understand her. Now in high school, Jennifer has been transformed. Known as Jenna, she's popular, happy, and dating, everything "Jennifer" couldn't be---but she still can't shake the memory of her long-lost friend.

When Cameron suddenly reappears, they are both confronted with memories of their shared past and the drastically different paths their lives have taken."

Monday, September 27, 2010

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--An apology letter

Dear Blog,

Yes, I've been avoiding you lately. I'm sorry. But when you stare at me with those puppy dog eyes you make me feel guilty. I know that when I start to feel the least bit down you're the first thing I take it out on. And I shouldn't. It's not your fault. But since we're being honest, I almost quit you. I know, I know, it was a drastic measure. But I wanted to focus entirely on writing and editing and you were distracting me. If it makes you feel any better it wasn't just you I avoided, it was all blogs. Then I remembered that I actually like you and other blogs. That I enjoy reading about my friends and what they've been up to. So, I'm going to try harder to be less neglectful. Just don't give me that sad look if I miss a day here or there. My life is a little crazier than it used to be with my new responsibilities working with the young women at church and the kids starting school again. So just one more request....can you write yourself on the days I'm too busy?

Thanks,

Kasie

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Maddeningly Unhelpful Advice--How to underperform at wasting time

I am unarguably the best player of bejeweled blitz ever. (Don't pay attention to all the people above me in the rankings. I just pretend they don't exist.)

Okay, so I'm not. And I think that's what makes my addiction to this game that much more pathetic. I am, at best, a mediocre player. So if you, too, want to be mediocre, just apply the following steps to your playing (I could compare them to writing too, but that might be too helpful).

1. Constantly get distracted by the shiny jewels. In fact, focus all your efforts into trying to get them and only them to explode.

2. When angry at your horrible performance, use phrases like, dag nabit. Then wonder where that phrase came from. Google its history. Find nothing even remotely useful but waste fifteen minutes on it anyway. Decide you are going to stop using the words dag nabit. Immediately use them again.

3. Hum a jeopardy type song while you play and then let the song start to cause feelings of anxiety because you've given yourself an earlier time limit than the game has given you. Panic.

4. Get a very bad score. Stare accusingly at all the profile pics of the people who have very good scores.

5. Compare bejeweled to writing and sink into a deep well of depression. Tell yourself if only you were better at bejeweled blitz you would succeed at writing.

6. Tell yourself this is the stupidest game ever invented.

7. Stare at the 'play again' button.

8. Push it.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Give Me My Books

I ordered books over a week ago. Some really good books that I want to read really bad. Like Paranormalcy, Mockingjay, Clockwork Angel. And they are still not here. Doesn't Amazon know that I'm dying here? If I had these books in my greedy little hands, I would have a book review for you today because I'm sure I would have read all of them already. Now is the time when you can all gloat about the fact that you've read one (or, more likely, all) of these books. This will make me extremely jealous.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The Winner

And the winner of a signed copy of Michelle Davidson Argyle's novella, CINDERS is: Briana, The Book Pixie!!!!! (love that screen name) Yay! Congrats Briana. I'll be emailing you to get your shipping info. Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest.

Now that I'm done editing my latest book, maybe I'll be more active in the blog world (she says, hanging her head in shame).