Friday Five Favorites

I stumbled upon this new meme and thought I'd try it out. I love meme's that let us talk a little more about who we are and not just book related facts. Friday Five Favorites can be found at Living like the Kings blog.  Join in on the fun!

Favorite cuisine: I am very addicted to perogies (with cheesy mashed potato's inside) and Pepperoni Pizza. Yum Yum! Other than that, I eat a lot of deli sandwiches.


Favorite vacation: Florence, Italy. I studied there for a month and LOVED it. Florence is such a beautiful city. It's located in a perfect place because you can venture out to so many adorable Tuscany towns, including Siena. Siena is my favorite place in the world.  If you can go there, go there!


Favorite hobby: I love taking photos and, oddly enough, re-rooting doll heads. Check out last weeks FollowFriday/Book Blogger Hop meme for links to my doll collection/photography. :-)


Favorite Holiday tradition: Christmas Specials. There are a select few specials that I need to watch prior to Christmas for it to really feel like the holiday. The Muppet Family Christmas is a must watch every holiday season!


Favorite “the-baby’s-asleep-the-chores-are-done-now-what-shall-I-do” pastime: Well, I don't have a baby or a husband yet, but as far as past-times, I am prone to turning on the TV or hopping on the internet.  I tend to obsess about certain shows, one being Doctor Who. If there is a marathon, I am there.  

Updates/Book Blogger Hop/Follow Friday

Happy Hop! This week has been crazy hot in the midwest. We hit 103 degrees in our garage yesterday. Yikes! Thankfully, our air conditioning is kind of working-- keeping it at 80 degree's, which isn't great, but is better than 95!


Looking ahead, make sure to stop by the blog August 1-7th. I'll be participating in the August contest hop. :-) I have some fun things to giveaway. While I'm not going to give away any spoilers just yet, I'll give you a hint. The prizes have something to do with Stacey Kade's 'Queen of the Dead', the sequel to 'The Ghost and the Goth'. More details to be posted soon!


I'd like to post my condolences to Borders Books and Music. I worked at a Borders for six months. It was my introduction into retail, actually. While I was there for a short time, I will always have fond memories of my time spent there. Borders differs from Barnes and Noble in a few key ways. I'll miss the fantastic manga section that most Borders have. In the same respect, I'll miss the little extra bobbles that Borders sold-- anime figures, t-shirts, purses, Pocky, etc. I spent most of my paychecks on the extra's that my Borders sold than books, I think! Even today, I go in and buy some of their 'extra's from time to time. And let's not forget the Hand Crafted Black Cherry Soda...  Yum.  Whatever happens, I hope that the thousands of Borders employees who are eventually losing their job aren't shafted and end up where ever they have to end up to be happy.


This Week on the Blog:
Review: Ashes, Ashes
Top Ten Tuesday: Required Teen Reading
Borders Liquidation


And onto the hops:
Book Blogger Hop:

The question of the week is:
What’s the ONE GENRE that you wish you could get into, but just can’t?

Answer: I'm not very good with contemporary fiction, teen or otherwise. There are some times I wish I could venture from my traditional suit of supernatural genre's, but nothing ever works out in my favor when I do that, so I've pretty much stopped.

Follow Friday:


The Question of the week is:
Name 3 Authors that you would love to sit down and spend an hour or a meal with just talking about either their books or get advice on writing from.


Answer:
Susan Cooper- b/c she rocks. Seriously, The Dark is Rising Sequence is far too underrated here in the States. I would love to just hang out with her for a while and talk about Wales, writing, and The Old Ones!


Laura Whitcomb- b/c she seems like a pretty interesting lady. Her blog is filled with some great posts, including those on her Supernatural Tea Parties. All in all, she seems like a fun person to hang with for an hour. (Author of 'A Certain Slant of Light')


Stephenie Meyer- Yes. Make fun of me all you want, but I would love to meet Stephenie Meyer. And believe it or not, I would probably ask far more about 'The Host' than the Twilight Saga! Stephenie seems far more down to earth than other writers, so I think she'd be a blast to hang with. Plus, it would give me a chance to ask some questions about 'The Host' that have bugged me since reading it!


And that's this week in a nutshell.  See you all next week!

Top Ten Tuesday- Required Reading

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by 'The Broke and the Bookish'. These weeks theme is required Required Teen Reading.

Now, my own high school reading experience was not my favorite. Reading has always been a fun thing for me, but the books we had to read in english? So.... Boring.... Couldn't.... Stand.... Any.... Of... Them! The list, I kid you not, was the exact same list that my father (who attended the same high school) had to read. And that is the problem with reading in your teens-- most kids only find themselves reading stuffy classics, which then turn them off of reading in general. At least, that's my take on it.


This list was particularly hard!!!!!


Top Ten Five Teen Reads:


1-Enders Game by Orson Scott Card: I'm still surprised when people haven't read this book. It's an amazing story with so many elements that could very easily mirror what we see in society today.


2-Oedipus Rex by Sophocles: Why read this? Because it is a 'classic' that has an interesting story told in a more user friendly style than most Shakespearean tragedies. (No offence to those who actually enjoy Shakespeare intended!)


3-Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury: Such a good story and one with a fantastic message.


4-Luna by Julie Anne Peters: This story is about a transgender male and his sister. It really is quite touching and opens the door to discussions on being okay with who you or others are.


5-The Outsiders by SE Hinton: Just like Enders Game, I'm surprised to hear when people haven't read this novel!


And there's my Top Five Teen Reads. These books are a handful of favorites. They all have some great messages and storywise-- they're spot on!

Harry Potter Memes

Harry Potter Meme of All Memes by Osaku
Name/Username
Age
Gender
House	Gryffindor
Wand	Maple, 9", Phoenix Feather
Best Course	Defense Against the Dark Arts
Worst Course	Care of Magical Creatures
Pet	Eastern Screech-Owl
Patronus	Dragon
Quidditch Job	Security Wizard
Wizard Candy	Bertie Botts every Flavour Beans (Mmm! Earwax!)
Profession After School	Auror

And a few questions found via Tumblr. (Little fact, I had no idea those images with crazy captions were considered meme's. Made this a little harder to find than I thought it would be!)


• Least favorite character in the series? Wormtail.  He was such a worm throughout the whole series!!!

• How do you feel about the movies compared to the books? It depends on the book. I think the movie version of Prisoner of Azkaban was completely off. Too many things made too little sense in that adaptation (ie: Lupin knowing the marauders map, not telling harry why his patronus is a stag, far too little Ron, etc). However, I prefer watching Order of the Phoenix to reading it. I love, love, love the movie adaptation of Goblet of Fire, as well as the school year portion of the book.


• Which character do you most compare yourself to? Of the main three, I'm more like Ron. He seems to have a cool, funny attitude about him. Though to be totally honest, I'm probably more like Colin Creavey. His up beat nature and love for photography are very me. I should add a bit of Ginny, too. I'm an odd mixture of outgoing and shy.


• What would your Patronus be? A raven. And it's all due to my weird love for 'The Grey King' by Susan Cooper and her character Bran, the Raven boy.

• Would you rather have an owl, toad, or cat as your pet? Owl, hands down. They can be very helpful in two ways-- companionship and mail service!
• If you could invite seven characters from the series to a Hogwarts dinner party, who would they be?


• Pick your mode of transportation: Thestral, Broom, Floo, Apparation, Portkey, Hippogriff, or Dragon. I'd apparate. Floo would be my second option. I'd probably keep a flying car around, too.


• What would you see if you looked in the Mirror of Erised? I'd see me surrounded by my family-- husband, children, dog, etc.




• Which Deathly Hallows object would you like to have? The Cloak of Invisibility. That thing is so cool!


• Which character would you attend the Yule Ball dance with, if you had the chance? Harry, but I'd save a dance for Neville if he looked like Matthew Lewis!


• What would be your favorite Hogwarts class? Charms, Flying, and Care of Magical Creatures!


• Which Quidditch position would you play: Chaser, Keeper, Beater, Seeker, Referee, or Spectator? Probably spectator!

Quick Memories of Reading:
Sorcerers Stone: Loved the story. I had no idea that it would turn into the huge deal it has since the ARC arrived...
Chamber of Secrets: Liked it. It was a quick read.
Prisoner of Azkaban: LOVED it. My favorite book in the series. Sirius and Lupin are two shining stars in the Harry Potter Universe.
Goblet of Fire: Could stand to skip most of the Quidditch World Cup (and usually do upon re-reading). That was just too long. Loved the Hogwarts portion of the book, though. It was a very upbeat, even with the whole Cedric thing.
Order of the Phoenix: Ew... Too long. Too angsty. Too much of stubborn Harry. And above all, too many sentences in capital letters!
Half Blood Prince: The best parts of this were between Ginny and Harry. Such a cute love story.
Deathly Hallows: Wordy. I'm not a huge fan of the parts that take place outside of Hogwarts and not a huge fan of treasure hunts... The battle was great, though. Loved seeing everyone return to save the wizarding world. The epilogue was, er, interesting, to say the least.

There's my answers, how about yours?  Leave them below or if you blog them, leave a link!

Video Rewind: Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone

I'm re-watching all the Harry Potter movies as a lead in to the final film July 15th.  This post is dedicated to the movie adaptation of 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone'. 

My earliest memories of the film are watching the pre-release clips of the mail scene with the Dursleys and Harry. I think I had that entire scene memorized by the movies release!  As with all the Harry Potter films, my original viewing was in the movie theater, sometime during opening week.  There are certain series you need to see in the theater, and this is one of them!

The Best Moments:

• Love the classroom scenes.  They ground this movie.
• Of all 7, this is the one movie that really shows off Hogwarts, both in terms of the school and the culture.
• Oliver Wood!  Oh, why oh why, did you go away?  So darn cute with that accent!
• On a similar note, love the flying class scene.
• Oh, seeing Little Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, and Neville is so refreshing!  
• The Ghosts-- sadly, these guys got cut out of some of the other movies.  I miss them.
• Love watching the staircases and paintings move.
• Hagrid's "I shouldn't have said that" still makes me laugh.
• Great Christmas scene

That Could Have Been Better:

• Harry's pretty talented, being able to turn himself into a cartoon like CG version of himself when he's in danger.  :-)  Thank goodness they fixed the CG for future movies
• Harry's eyes blink unevenly throughout this movie.  I've gotten used to it, but it bugged the heck out of me originally.

Now, it's your turn.  What are your favorite scenes in this first movie in the Harry Potter series?

Fun Harry Potter Facts- Part 1

Think you know all there is about Harry Potter?  Here's a few fun facts about the movies!  I skowered IMDB and picked up a few good bits of triva for you to impress your friends with!  More can be found on the IMDB website.

Sorcerers Stone Movie Trivia:

• Did you know Hufflepuff Susan Bones (played by the prominent red headed extra from the first two movies) is actually Director Chris Columbus's daughter Eleanor Columbus?  Sisters Isabella (Chamber of Secrets, girl in bookshop) and Violet (Chamber of Secrets, girl with flowers) and brother Brendan (Chamber of Secrets, boy in study hall 1) can also be seen in the films, though not as prominently.
• JK Rowling insisted on British leads.
• If you want to visit the filming location for platform 9 3/4, you should really visit innercity platform 4 and 5.  Supposedly, platform 9 3/4 is actually marked at King Cross Station between the real platform 9 and 10, though that is not where the movie filmed.
• The trouble-making poltergeist Peeves (played by Rik Mayall) does not, in the end, appear in the movie.
  
• The only sets that were built for Hogwarts were the Great Hall, the Grand Staircase, and the Gryffindor Common Room. More were built for later movies
  
• Among the portraits on the shifting staircase, you can clearly see a painting of Anne Boleyn (King Henry VIII's second wife, mother of Queen Elizabeth I), who was condemned to death as a witch.

Chamber of Secrets Movie Trivia:

• Hugh Grant was cast to play Gilderoy Lockhart, but had to drop out at the last minute.
• Fourteen Ford Anglias were destroyed to create the scene where Harry and Ron crash into the Whomping Willow.
  
• Flourish and Botts is a redress of Olivanders Wand Shop (seen in Sorcerers Stone)
• Shirley Henderson, who played the fantastic Moaning Myrtle, is the oldest actress (age 37) to portray a Hogwarts student.
  
• The "Let's just hope Mr. Potter will always be around to save the day" dialogue (see quotes) was improvised by Daniel Radcliffe and Jason Isaacs.
  
• Foreign language translations had to change Tom Marvolo Riddle's name so that an appropriate anagram could be formed from "I am Lord Voldemort." In Spanish, his name became "Tom Sarvolo Ryddle," which transforms into "Soy Lorde Voldemort." In French, his name is "Tom Elvis Jedusor," which becomes "Je suis Voldemort." In Dutch, his name is "Marten Asmodom Vilijn" which is an anagram for "Mijn naam is Voldemort". In Turkish the name is "Tom Marvoldo Riddle" which makes up "Adim Lord Voldemort".
  
• The script originally said that Hermione would hug Harry and Ron in the final scene. As the then 11-year-old Emma Watson was embarrassed about having to hug the boys in front of the entire cast, Chris Columbus allowed her to change the scene so that Hermione just hugs Harry then starts to hug Ron but the two get embarrassed and resolve to only shake hands. Watson also stated in a recent interview that she kept letting Daniel Radcliffe go too quickly, so the film was "frozen" for a few seconds to make the hug look like it lasted longer than it actually did. Her hesitation with Ron is also taken by fans as a precursor to the relationship that will develop between the two characters.

Trivia from movies 3-8 will be posted a little later this week!  Enjoy the rest of the Harry Potter Week posts!

In Celebration of Harry Potter!

Happy Harry Potter week!  

With the final movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, debuting July 15th, 2011, this little blog will be celebrating all that is Harry Potter!  While I was a reader well before Harry Potter, I can't help but agree that the Harry Potter books have made a huge impact on readers and writers, both young and old.

And in terms of the movies?  The Harry Potter movies are perfect examples of what all movies adapted from stories should strive to be.  Smart adapting, perfect casting, and a talented production crew have truly made these movies worthy of the term 'classics'.  And the impossible feat of getting the same cast members back year after year?  I only hope that when I succeed in the entertainment world, I can find such a wonderful cast of actors who care about my project so much that they keep their ego's in check and stay with the production!


Harry and his story will be alive for years and years to come and I'm very happy that I got to experience the whole 'Harry Potter' era from beginning to end.  And literally I mean from seeing the ARC of 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone', to attending special midnight events, working midnight events, and finally, to soon seeing the final movie!


So, stay tuned for more fun filled Harry Potter posts!

Update/TGIF

As promised, it was a bit busier on the blog this week!  With July here, pitch meetings are getting closer and closer!!!!


This week on the Blog:
Review: Wonderstruck
In My Mailbox
At the Movies: The Host
Review: Steel

The Question of the Week:
Mr & Mrs: Who are your favorite book couples?


Answer:
1: Harry and Ginny (Harry Potter)- They're just too cute for words. I love how their romance blossomed in the HP books.


2: Bran and Jane (The Dark Is Rising Sequence)- Okay. Bran and Jane never really hooked up. However, it was hinted at and they would be so cute together! A certain webmistress may have even started a fanfic about their eventual relationship...


3: Wanderer and Ian (The Host)- I love this couple even more than Edward and Bella. Yes, Ian was a jerk in the beginning, but once he saw that Wanderer was more than just a body snatcher, he became such a good guy!


4: Sophie and Archer (Hex Hall)- Both characters are so strong that they make a great couple.


5: Suze and Jesse (Mediator)- My first foray into a human/ghost couple.  They're perfect for eachother!


And that's it for this week! Happy Hop, all!

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by 'The Story Siren'. Its purpose? To allow bloggers to share with the world any new acquisitions that may have arrived via snailmail, the www, or even by car trip. I don't usually participate in this meme, but I just happen to have a few books that have arrived for review...


For Review:


'Breadcrumbs' by Anne Ursu
Blurb (goodreads): Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it's up to Hazel to go after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," BREADCRUMBS is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.

'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children' by Ransom Riggs
Blurb (goodreads): A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience.

'Wasteland' by Patricia Williams
Blurb (goodreads): Becca Wilkinson is a nobody, and those that are aware of her existence know her as "that quiet girl in the back of class", "loser", or her favorite-"that chick that killed all those people." New at Leeville, Luke Johnston has everyone eating out of the palm of his hand...except Becca. There's something dark and dangerous about him that she distrusts. Becca will have to let her guard down if she wants answers--but can she handle the truth?

Top Ten Tuesday- Favorite Settings

This week's Top Ten 'Five' Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is about your favorite book settings. Here are a few of mine!

1- Italy: I've been to Italy and LOVED it. Set a book in Italy and I'll probably take an extra look at it.


2- Hogwarts: The best thing about the Harry Potter books? Hogwarts. I'm notorious for skipping along the bits that don't take place in the castle.


3- Narnia: How can you not want to visit a place where the animals talk?


4- An Animated Disney Musical:  How much fun would it be to live in a world where you can break into song and not get stared at?


5- Castles:  One day, I want to own a castle.  It's one of the reasons I enjoy readings books about them!

Top Ten Tuesday- Beach Reads

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) is concentrated on Beach Reads! I'm not one who really goes to beaches or reads outside, for that matter, but I do know what I'd bring if I did do that sort of thing...

In general, beach reading for me would include old favorites of the popcorn kind.


1- 'The Grimm Legacy' by Polly Shulman
2- 'The Host' by Stephenie Meyer
3- Old School Star Wars novels (ie: The Courtship of Princess Leia, The Jedi Academy Trilogy, Even some Young Jedi Knights!) by Various authors
4- 'Beauty Shop for Rent' by Laura Bowers


I can't think of anymore, but these books would be a good start to any beach excursion!

At the Movies: The Hunger Games News and Tidbits...

Oh, to be a PA or extra on this set... Seriously, this job, even with long hours and hot weather, would be a dream to work on!!!!


EW debuted the first photo of Katniss:

I hope this picture teaches people not to judge until they see a finished product. This picture reads Katniss from the look all the way to the accessories!


Speaking of cast, anyone heard about Cinna yet? I'm looking forward to seeing who is going to play the fashionista.


As far as Haymitch is concerned, I'm not a hugeWoody Harrelson, so I'm a bit worried. The casting directors must have seen some sparkle in his audition, though...


Add Johannafan's YT page to your links! She has video of what seems to be the Disctrict 12 train station and maybe District 12 itself! (Possibly from the Shelby/Hickory, NC set)


Currently, Hunger Games is filming in Hildebran, NC.


Extras have been hired!!!


The Hunger Games Trilogy website has a ton of great info about the books, movie, etc. Check it out!

Book-alike: A Doppelganger Meme

Ever look at a book cover and think it looks very similar to an actor, friend, etc? Occasionally, this happens to me. I've been fooling around with how to incorporate it into this blog, and finally decided to call it a meme and use it when I need it! :p Feel free to use this idea on your blog, too, if you'd like! (I wish I was talented in making icons, but alas, I'm not!)


I was working in back at the bookstore recently and stumbled upon a book called, 'The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book One: The Amulet of Samarkand' by Jonathan Stroud. It's a graphic novel about a boy who finds "himself caught in a whirlwind of magical espionage, murder, and rebellion" (Goodreads).


Take a peek at the cover.

As I looked at the cover, I instantly flashed to an actor famous for his work as the 10th Doctor on Doctor Who, Mr. David Tennant. Odd, I know, as the character on the cover is supposed to be the boy, I'm assuming, but everything screams David Tennant!


Check out the comparison picture.

What do you think? Do you see the 10th Doctor in the cover of Bartimaeus?

Top Ten Tuesday- Mean Girls

Top Ten Tuesdays is a meme started by 'The Broke and the Bookish'. Please head over to their site for more information! This week is 'Top Ten Mean Girls'. (Only five this week, b/c this question is hard!!!)

Top FIVE Mean Girls

1- Rose from the Vampire Academy novels: True, if I tried to slap Rose, she'd probably see it coming a mile away and get me first, but that girl annoyed the heck out of me half the time. This was especially true when it came to book five and six in the series. If you think about it, Rose's whole journey involved using people for her own personal gain. We get hardly any guilt from the girl in regards to that fact. I can't say anymore without spoiling, but ahh, she was a really annoying main character.

2- The White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia: The White Witch is pretty much the definition of 'mean girl'.

3- Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter/Order of the Phoenix: Who doesn't love to hate Umbridge? She is one of the meanest characters in Harry Potter. Just thinking of Harry's 'I won't tell lies' situation makes me shudder.

4- Jessica Wakefield from Sweet Valley High/Kids/Confidential: While Elizabeth isn't exactly innocent, Jessica was definitely the bad twin. All the crazy things she did to sabatage others... Not good at all!

5- Alice from Prophecy of the Sisters: Again, not the good twin.  Not the good twin at all.  

Who are your picks for this week's theme?  (And while you're visiting, check out my ebook giveaway!  Low entries so far!

Book Blogger Hop/Follow Friday/Update

Wow, what a week! There's been a bit of a commotion on this little blog this week as I posted my first ebook review, along with a Q/A with its author and a giveaway post!


I also made a few less happy posts this week-- one about the closing of the North American Tokyopop offices and one about the passing of Doctor Who actress Lis Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith to Who'vians). I found a nice tribute on youtube.  My layout cuts off the right side of the screen.  Click the video to watch via youtube.

I'll link to those posts in a moment, but first, are any of you Star Wars fans? If you haven't checked out 'Star Wars: The Musical', then, sorry, but you have to now. The link is HERE. If you go to 'The Musical' link on the right sidebar, you can play and download all the fantastic songs that these guys put together. Kind of wish LucasFilm would have done something with these songs or the concept!!!


This Week on the Blog:
Contest: Win 'Seeing for the First Time
Author Interview: Nicole Zoltack
Review: Seeing for the First Time
Top Ten Tuesday: Characters I'd Name a Kid After...
You Will Be Missed, Lis Sladen
Bye, Bye Tokyopop


And On With The Hops...

The Question of the week is:
If you find a book you love, do you hunt down other books by the same author?


Answer: I try, but many times I'll only enjoy a handful of books by the author. Universally, I love Bruce Coville's works. As far as other series, I thought I'd love DJ Machale's new series, but didn't. While I loved Cirque Du Freak (by Darren Shan), I didn't love Demonata. Even Stephenie Meyer. Loved Twilight and The Host, but the sequels, not so much! And finally, while Susan Coooper wrote my favorite book, I really could never get into anything else she wrote.



The Question of the Week is:
What is on your current playlist right now?


Answer: I'm a bit weird when it comes to music. I don't have a playlist, persay. I usually turn on a radio station and listen to random mix's. I'm a huge fan of Pandora radio and recently, groove shark.


If you were listening to a mix of my Ipod, you'd hear at lot of: The Monkee's, Hanson (yes, they still make records!), various showtunes, my favorite anime/drama themes, hits from the 90's pop era, and tons of regular pop/rock (from all decades).


Actually, a lot of my taste in music comes from my mom. Odds are if she played or plays it, I tend to enjoy it. That would be one of the many reasons I know lyrics to many a Barry Manilow songs and Bobby Sherman song. (The Monkee's was totally Nick@Nite's fault!)


That's it for now, folks! See you next week and don't forget to enter my contest!!!!! (If any of you'd like to help me out on this, I'd love a bit of advertising for it! Let your readers know!!!)

Top Ten Tuesday- Characters I'd Name My Kids After...

Top Ten Tuesdays is a meme started by 'The Broke and the Bookish'. Please head over to their site for more information! This week is a Top Ten Tuesday Rewind, meaning I can choose any topic I'd like! For this week, I'm choosing: Book Characters I'd Name My Kids After...


Book Characters I'd Name My Kids After:


1- Bastian (The Neverending Story): I've always loved this name. It's so different, unexpected. It almost has a regal aire to it. However much I love the name, it also could have some very negative aspects to it when it comes to evil, teasing kids. Regardless, I would totally use this name as a first or middle name for a future child.


2- Keely (The Big Empty): Who can say they've been friends with a person name Keely? It's a very unique name and, well, a fun name, too.


3- Bran (The Grey King): Before I name a child Bran, I'd need to hear a Welshman pronounce it. In the book, Bran tells Will that his name isn't pronounced like breakfast cereal, but with more of a long 'a' sound. Sounds pretty, right?


4- Nathaniel (Nathaniel Willy Scared Silly): Oh My Goodness... This is my favorite name. When I have my first of three predicted boys, Nathaniel will be the chosen name. I first considered it when I chose picture book 'Nathaniel Willy Scared Silly' as my FCCLA project. I was participating in the storytime competition.


5- Tally (The Uglies): Love this name.


6- Shay (The Uglies): Again, love this name, too. Westerfeld has a way with awesome character names!


7- Vaughn (TV: Strange Days at Blake Holsey High): I'm jumping into other media here, but once I heard the name Vaughn while watching 'Strange Days', I was hooked on it.


8- Ellis or Sutton (TV: Mattel's My Scene movies): Love the name Ellis. Love the name Sutton. Both are from My Scene dolls/movies.


What about you?

Book Blogger Hop/Follow Friday/Update

This Week on the Blog:

Review: Sweet Valley Confidential

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'd like to see as Movies

The Question of the week is:
Outside of books, what is your guilty pleasure?


Answer: I DVR 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' for myself and if ever it comes on DVD, I plan on buying it! I've been a MLP fan since the 80's and had doubts about this new cartoon that premiered on the Hub this year. Never would I have thought I would love it as much as I do! It's actually quite funny for kids of all ages (20 somethings included!).


And that's it for this mid-week hop!


Question of the Week:
Do you have anyone that you can discuss books with IRL? Tell us about him/her...


Answer: Does IRL stand for 'in real life'? I've never heard of it before! In real life, I talk to many people about books. Most of the time, I talk to my mom. We read the same books. Recommend them to eachother all the time. I discuss books with friends and co-workers, too.

Top Ten Tuesdays- Books I'd Like to See Made Into Movies...

Top Ten Tuesdays is a meme started by 'The Broke and the Bookish'.  Please head over to their site for more information!  I've never participated in a Top Ten Tuesday, but this list is something I was planning on doing anyways, so why not do it along side a large group of bloggers!  In no particular order, here are my top 11 books I'd like to see as movies!


1- The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

Reason? This book would be SO easy to adapt into a made for tv movie, tv series, or both. It had a good story, good characters, and a fantastic setting where anything could happen. I'd love to write this screenplay!


2- The Teashop Girls by Laura Schaefer

Reason? Again, this book had a good story, good moral, and good characters. It would play out well as a movie.


3- Beauty Shop for Rent by Laura Bowers

Reason? Good, under appreciated book with a story that would do well as a made for TV movie. It's a coming of age story with a bit of romance, great characters, and a realistic storyline that people could easily relate to today.


4- Vampirates series by Justin Somper

Reason? Oh, My, Gosh. I love this series. It screams movie franchise. Why hasn't anyone picked this up yet?! Better yet, why haven't I hit it big to snag the film/tv film rights to this and everything else on my list!!!


5- The Young Jedi Knights by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta

Reason? There are very few Star Wars books that couldn't be made into movies. The Jedi Academy series got me into reading about these characters I'd only seen on TV. I'd love to see these make their way onto the TV/Movie screen one day. Got that, George?


6- Stravaganza series by Mary Hoffman

Reason? Again, this fantasy series is under-appreciated and would make a great movie franchise. I see some issues in filming it b/c of all the various characters that jump in and out of the books, but if properly scheduled, this series could work really well as a film franchise or mini series. I'd love to see the BBC pick this up and do something like they did with The Chronicles of Narnia years and years ago.


7- The Ghost and the Goth by Stacy Kade

Reason? I could see this and the various sequels being great made for tv movies. The characters are engaging and the ghost/supernatural thing will always be a popular genre in tv/film.


8- Pendragon series by DJ Machale

Reason? So many reasons. A) DJ wrote this book to read like a movie/tv show. B) This series has all the elements you need for a good movie/tv right off the bat. C) I really want to see Bobby Pendragon on the big screen!


9- Knightley Academy by Violet Haberdasher

Reason? Its similarities to the Harry Potter franchise aside, this is a fantastic book that could make a great movie (or set of movies once the sequels come out!). It has the elements that made Harry Potter so sucessful, yet has it's own unique storyline that will draw people in.


10- The Grey King by Susan Cooper

Reason? B/c it's my favorite book ever. I'm calling for the whole series, actually. A re-make of The Dark is Rising would be necessary, too. The Grey King, however, would make such a great movie. I want to see Bran. I want to see Wales. I want to see the darn fire in the mountain. I want to see it all.


11- Tombstone Tea by Joanne Dahme

Reason?  I found this story to be... diffrerent... than your normal supernatural tale.  The visuals would play out really well on the film screen, I think!


And that's it. If any of these authors would like to discuss giving their film rights to me for a chance to write these screenplays/pilots/whatevers, I would be happy to talk with you. I have prior script writing/producing expirience (though nothings sold yet...) and have pilots that have placed well in various script competitions. I can prepare a detailed outline of what I picture for your book if you request. E-mail me at ashsero(at)gmail(dot)com!!!


See you all later this week! Review of 'Sweet Valley Confidential' is in the works, as well as 'Anna and the French Kiss' and 'Steel'.

Book Blogger Hop/Follow Friday/Update

Hi there, readers! It's that time again! Another week, another hop/update post! This week has been quite a busy week for the blog. I did my first IMM meme and have some neat stuff planned for upcoming weeks. :-) Plus, I received my first 'review copy' from a publisher. All in all, it's been a good week!


This Week on the Blog:
Review: Filling The Family Tree
Review: Queen of the Dead
In My Mailbox meme


Now, onto the hops!

The Question of the Week is:
Since today is April Fool's Day in the USA, what is the best prank you have ever played on someone OR that someone has played on you?


Answer: I don't really remember pulling any real pranks... Kind of boring of me, right?  On the same note, I don't remember anyone really pulling a prank on me.  


I don't see a follow friday for this week, so I'll leave you here for the week!

In My Mailbox...

I've never participated in the IMM meme before, but since I received a book today, I thought I would try it out!!! Check out The Story Siren for more info!

Today, the lovely mail service graced me with a welcome site-- a package from Macmillan Publishing!  What was in the package, you ask? A hint... The characters in this title are people that any female twenty something will remember from their childhood from various book series and even a television show!

Yes, the twins made famous in the Sweet Valley High books are back in 'Sweet Valley Confidential'! Also with this book came a very cute bit of swag-- a promotional t-shirt! Thanks, Macmillan! Expect a review up within the month!


Also in my mailbox via some savvy ebay shopping...

With Season 6 debuting in April, I've wanted to rewatch series 5. BBC America always seems to rerun the same episodes... Always The Lodger, but never Van Gogh and the Doctor... I got this set cheap on ebay. A great buy!!!!


Also, I received an ebook, which will be the first ebook I've agreed to read for this blog! It's entitled, 'Seeing for the First Time' and is written by Nicole Zoltack. The story sounds promising and it was described as a novella of sorts, which means I won't be monopolizing my brothers Nook forever!


This weeks last edition to IMM hasn't actually arrived yet... If you recall, I collect dolls. I ordered an Asian ball jointed doll last month in a group order and got notification that she's arrived in the states and is ready for pick up next week! For a sneak peak, here's promo shots of everything I will be receiving!!!


Thanks for joining me for this special IMM post!