4 Days until NaNoWriMo!

For those of you who don't already know, or who are new to this blog... National Novel Writing Month starts on November 1st! If you have ever wanted to challenge yourself to write a novel - this is the month to do it! There is TONS of support on the NaNo site and tons of other first-timers that feel your nervousness! This will be my second year participating... and I'm super excited about the novel I have outlined!

The tagline for my novel is this: "A small town girl must overcome the secrets and gossip that surround her to find out the truth about her past, and deal with what lies ahead in her future."

I'm basing this novel off of my character, Abigail, from my short story I wrote a few months ago. (Read it here!) She's a sweet southern girl with a lot of heart and a side of sarcasm. She's close to my heart and I can't wait to see where this novel takes me! It's going to be heartfelt, but it's going to have a comfortable level of southern charm as well!

I'll share more once I get started writing in November! Wish me luck!

Pumpkin Pie! (:

Want to try something new this holiday season? How about baking the perfect pumpkin pie!

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 55 Min
Ready In: 1 Hr 10 Min

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
• 1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.
2. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

3 Days to Halloween!

Wow. I've let myself get really behind this week... but it's not for lack of being lazy or anything. This morning sickness is really getting the best of me! ):

I'm now at the ten week mark and I'm hoping and praying that this constant nausea I have doesn't last much longer! It's hard on my sleeping habits and eating habits! I eat more in a days time than I used to, but my meals are smaller. I can't eat as much at one time. Also, I toss and turn all night as if I can't get comfortable... and then wake up constantly. Last night was the first night in a while that I actually don't remember waking up all night long. I went to bed around eleven, and didn't look at the clock again until five am. (Then I tossed/turned until time to get up around seven).

The good thing is that I know all of this will pay off in the end when baby comes home to us and I'm so looking forward to being a Mom!

Okay... so, now I can give updates on the rest of the week/weekend!

Last weekend - We celebrated my Father's birthday at their house in Jonesboro. It was fun... lots of Mario Kart was played, and lots of goofing off on youtube. My Dad loves to watch the funny videos we recommend to him! (: I made Dad a Harley Davidson cake... I will have to share that pic later.


On Sunday, we met up with the Bell Family to head down to Southern Belle Farms in McDonough. It was a fun afternoon... but we quickly expired, got our pumpkin selections made, and went back to the Bell Home to carve! Cullen wasn't too interested in the pumpkin guts, but we had fun anyways! Marlena, Patrick, and I all carved our pumpkins... here is what mine and Marlena's turned out to look like. Her's is the owl, and mine is the haunted mansion!



The rest of this week has gone by kind of slowly. I haven't felt 100%, but tomorrow is Halloween at work and I'm super excited to dress up! I will post a pic of my costume later... it's totally a fun one. (Hint: If they don't already know I'm pregnant, they will tomorrow!)

Also, I wanted to share my Top Five Horror Movies... I'm sure a lot of people have pulled theirs out because Halloween is literally looking around the corner now! Note: These are current favorites and can change again in 24 hours!

Comment with your top five list!

5. Joy Ride
4. Pet Cemetary
3. The Shining
2. Cujo
1. Halloween (2007 Rob Zombie Remake)

9 Days to Halloween! (:

Anyone that truly knows me, knows that Halloween is my second most favorite holiday ever - listed just after Christmas. What I love about Halloween most is the candy, costumes, and corny scary movies! It's that time of year again to break out my favorites and watch them in a dark room with only my hubby to keep me company and laugh at my screams! (Even though I know what is going to happen, they still scare me anyways!)

My other favorite pastime is pumpkin carving! I have yet to do this in the past few years, but I plan on doing it this year. I don't yet know what the picture on my pumpkin will be, but it will be creative and it will scream "Megan's Pumpkin"!

Here is one I found online that I really liked...

Find more celeb faces on pumpkins here.

Now, I'm not that creative or talented - but I do hope to come up with something that will make me and my friends/family smile and say, "That looks awesome"! I hope to be able to make a trip to the Southern Belle Farms this weekend to the Pumpkin Patch to get a nice, juicy and LARGE pumpkin just to carve! (Then we are going to roast the seeds, YUM!)

Look for more Halloween updates and movie suggestions next week as we get closer to this creepy holiday!

The rumors are finally true....

Wes and I are expecting our first baby!! (:



We have known for a while now (since I obviously have missed two periods)... but we wanted to wait until we went to our first Doctor's Appointment before the news went viral. That's exactly what happened... I had over 50 emails in my inbox today from Facebook with all the comments and wall posts that people made for me. Last night I was reading them and tearing up - another issue I have with being pregnant... I'm more emotional than ever!

Our doctor's appointment went well - we are due May 25th 2011 and we are both super excited for the changes that are to come in our lives. Wes went with me and it was nice to be able to share that moment with him and see our little peanut up on that screen! Keep an eye on the blog and facebook for more updates as the weeks and months pass by!

10/20/10 Reminder - The Day Bully Prevention is Heard Around the World!

“Alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much.”
-Helen Keller

Check out some response to the "I Care Because.." Campaign on Pacer's website, here.

Sign the Petition with other people who are standing up to unite against bullying, here.

Take the "Kids against Bullying" pledge, here.

Do what you can to stop the bullying in your community. Spread the word.

3-D Pancakes!

I wanted to keep subject matter light today, being that it's Friday and almost the weekend! (: I ran across this AWESOME new website today and wanted to share it with you guys. Smiley face and heart shaped pancakes are a fun and creative way to make breakfast for your kids... but this Dad took it to a whole new level. Check out his site here, jimspancakes.com.

The tagline on his site is "Just trying to make some cool pancakes for my daughter". He has a three year old little girl that he makes them for, and contributes his creativity, ideas and success to his own father.

Here are some photos from his blog!





He uses lots of colored batter, and condiment dispensers to create these fun and fancy products! Check out his blog for more photos!



Facebook.com/jimspancakes
twitter.com/jimspancakes

Ever wanted to write a novel? Here's your chance!

I participated in 2009 and only wrote about 12,000 words of my novel and it still sits, un-finished and un-touched. I just lost the focus I had on it.

This year, I plan on participating again and writing MORE than last year - and trying my hardest to get to that 50,000 goal! Here is what you need to know...

NaNo in a Nutshell!

What: Writing one 50,000-word novel from scratch in a month's time.

Who: You! We can't do this unless we have some other people trying it as well. Let's write laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.

Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era's most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from our novels at parties. To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.

When: You can sign up anytime to add your name to the roster and browse the forums. Writing begins November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by November 30 at midnight. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the partying begins.

Where: You write wherever you’d like. On your computer, on your iPad, on a typewriter---anywhere is fine, just as long as you’re writing! For a more in-depth NaNoWriMo overview, visit the devilishly handsome "What is NaNoWriMo?"and "How NaNoWriMo Works" pages.

Visit here to learn all the NaNo Basics and Register!

I hope I have more friends join! Look me up on the site and add me as a writing buddy - my user name is "meganaddison". See you on the site!

10.20.10 - Save the Date!

Make Oct. 20, 2010, the day that bullying prevention is heard about the world!

From California to Connecticut, from Minnesota to Mississippi, join together and shout, “The End of Bullying Begins with Me!” Then keep the message moving, from North America to Europe, from South America to Africa, from Australia to Asia. Stand with others around your town and around the world to raise awareness of an issue that has affected so many for so long.

Whether you are a student or a parent, with a school or an organization, raise your voice any way you can. Sing it, say it, tweet it, text it, blog it, post it, dance it. Efforts large and small are all equally important.

Together, we can make 10.20.10 a day that touches, connects, and changes the lives of people worldwide.

- PACER

I was looking up songs about bullying today and came across "Don't Laugh at Me" by Mark Wills... Here are the lyrics. They really touched my heart, and I cried when I listened to (and bought) the song on Itunes.

I'm a little boy with glasses
The one they call the geek
A little girl who never smiles
'Cause I've got braces on my teeth
And I know how it feels
To cry myself to sleep

I'm that kid on every playground
Who's always chosen last
A single teenage mother
Tryin' to overcome my past
You don't have to be my friend
But is it too much to ask

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm the cripple on the corner
You've passed me on the street
And I wouldn't be out here beggin'
If I had enough to eat
And don't think I don't notice
That our eyes never meet

I lost my wife and little boy when
Someone cross that yellow line
The day we laid them in the ground
Is the day I lost my mind
And right now I'm down to holdin'
This little cardboard sign...so

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm fat, I'm thin, I'm short, I'm tall
I'm deaf, I'm blind, hey, aren't we all

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

Make sure that you save the date - October 20th 2010! It's in two weeks and it's the date that this country needs to stand up against all the bullies and fight for our kids and their rights to be individuals.

Here is my challenge to all of my readers... share this day on your own blog/facebook/twitter as well as write “The End of Bullying Begins With Me” on your hand, on your notebook, or even on a t-shirt to share how you feel about this day and all the people on the planet that have been bullied at least once in their lives.

Show your support!

Zombies, Mockingjays, and Free Books!

Zombies, Mockingjays, and Free Books! OH MY!

1. The Forest of Hands and Teeth Prize Pack: One lucky winner will recieve a paperback copy of Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth, a SIGNED bookplate to go inside the book, a SIGNED bookmark, and an Eat, Prey, Love sticker.

2. The Dead-Tossed Waves Prize Pack: One lucky winner will recieve a hardcover copy of Carrie Ryan's The Dead Tossed Waves, a SIGNED bookplate to go inside the book, a SIGNED bookmark, and an Eat, Prey, Love sticker!

3. The Mockingjay Prize Pack: One lucky winner will recieve a hardcover copy of Suzanne Collins' Mockingjay, a "Down with the Capitol" keychain, and a Mockingjay bookmark!

4. SIGNED bookplates and bookmarks: Five winners will recieve a bookmark signed by Carrie Ryan, and three winners will recieve bookplates also signed by Carrie Ryan!!

Ways to enter to win the Prize Packs! Click on the links to take you to the Live Journal Site!

1. By joining the community if you are not a member already! That counts for one entry! Also, you can get an entry for ever friend you bring to the community! Be sure to tell them to list you as a referral!
EDIT: Friend referral entries will be capped at ten. Sorry for any confusion! Just trying to keep the game fair!
2. By pimping this community on your LiveJournal! Post a description of the community and/or the contest and a link to the community and invite all of your friends to join as well! You will get one entry for your post.
3. By posting a book recommendation! We all love books, so use this opportunity to share one of your favorites! Each new recommendation post is worth one entry! However, you MUST use the book recommendation format that is outlined on our profile and the recommendation must be new, created for the purpose of this contest. Entries that are copied from other book recs sites, such as goodreads, will not be counted.
4. By posting a link to this contest on your blog, or Facebook/Twitter accounts. This counts as one entry.

***Please note that you must comment back to THIS post with your entires/links to any postings you have made. Remember, I MUST be able to see the posts in order for them to count. If your FB, Twitter, of LJ is private and we are not friends, I will accept screenshots of your entries! :) ***

Winners will be picked by a random number generator. The more entries you have, the more opportunities you have to win! :)



How to enter to win the bookmarks and book plates:

Tell me 3 sentences about something, anything. It can be odd, beautiful, enlightening, or horrific (keep it PG 13). Don't apologize saying you're not sure your thing is interesting! I am easily amused, so no worries! :)

You may enter up to three times--in 3 different posts, please! Winners will be chosen by your friendly Mods!

EDIT/CLARIFICATION: You may enter three times TOTAL. Not daily or weekly, but three times throughout the entire contest. Hope that clarifies things! :)


DEADLINE: This contest will run until Midnight (EST) on October 15th, 2010

Blogs that Inspire!

I have seen other blogs give out awards and I have been wanting to create my own award to give out to the blogs that inspire me! The blogs that I choose are ones that make me want to create new things, make me want to continue to write, or make me want to pick up a new book / watch a new movie. The blogs that I love to read are the ones that strive to keep me entertained. They have new and fresh posts on a semi-daily basis and are fun to read, make me laugh, or change my opinion on something!

I'm going to award 7 other blogs with my "Blogs that Inspire: Fall 2010" Award... once your notified of winning - then you must then follow the rules and keep the award going!



Rules:
1. Make a post thanking and linking back to the person's blog who awarded you.
2. Tell everyone in that post what 7 things are that inspire your life - people, places, things?
3. Pass the award to 7 more blogs.
4. Contact the bloggers you picked and tell them about the award! (:

See, it's pretty simple! (:

Here are my 7 winners!

Heather
Charles
Crystal
Katie
Mandy
Jess
Char

Congratulations bloggers! You've inspired me in one way or another! Hope that you can pass this along to other bloggers you admire! (:

CW's 'Life Unexpected' and 'One Tree Hill' Crossover

by Laura Prudom

What do 'One Tree Hill' and 'Life Unexpected' have in common? Aside from a Tuesday timeslot on the CW and a knack for heartfelt drama, the two shows also have the honor of headlining the CW's first ever coast-to-coast crossover event on Tue., Oct. 12.

Since the dramas are all about dysfunctional family units and both feature semi-unreliable (but very attractive) guys called Nate, this crossover seems like a no-brainer to us, and maybe it'll pave the way for another bi-coastal exchange ('Gossip Girl' meets '90210', anyone?) if the fans approve.

Check out our exclusive promo for the special show -- which features some awesome musical guest stars!

No, music fans, your ears do not deceive you; the crossover will boast an impressive array of musical talent, including Grammy-winning artist Sarah McLachlan, Ben Lee, Rain Perry (the singer/songwriter of the 'LUX' theme song), and 'OTH' stars Kate Voegele and Bethany Joy Galeotti. All five will appear at a music festival sponsored by Ryan's (Kerr Smith) Portland radio station, which should give Cate (Shiri Appleby) and Haley (Galeotti) plenty of time to bond over their similar high-school experiences.

'LUX' creator and executive producer Liz Tigelaar was enthusiastic about how well the episode came together: "The crossover was something that The CW approached us with, and ['OTH' creator] Mark Schwahn and I collaborated to find a story that was seamless and organic to both shows," she explained. "This is one of our best episodes of 'Life Unexpected' yet. It combines many elements that made "One Tree Hill" successful. What's most fun is how much Haley (Galeotti) and Cate (Appleby) have in common and how helpful it is for Cate that Haley's showing up right at this particular moment."

But the crossover isn't simply reliant on the novelty of having characters from separate shows hanging out together; Tigelaar promises that a number of storylines will be paid off in the episode. "For 'Life Unexpected' fans, it's an episode where the stories have built to big revelations, new conflicts, and new romantic pairings and also where old wounds from the past get dealt with," she insisted. "For "One Tree Hill" fans, it's a great introduction to almost our entire cast while getting to have theirs interwoven -- not to mention, both Haley and Mia (Voegele) perform!"

The 'Life Unexpected'/'One Tree Hill' crossover event airs next Tue., Oct. 12 at 9PM ET on the CW, following an all new 'One Tree Hill' -- catch fresh episodes of both shows this Tuesday, Oct. 5, starting 8PM ET.

Interview: Gina of the 'Fantasy Casting' Blog

I had the absolute wonderful opportunity to interview one of my new favorite 'bloggers' on the world wide web! She writes a blog where she cast's all kinds of books for movies - it's a fun 'game' called "Fantasy Casting". I do it when I read books and want to see them on the big screen - but Gina took it a bit further. Here is what she had to say...

I've read many of the casting lists you've created on your blog, Fantasy Casting. What inspired you to start your blog and share your book castings with the world?

This all started years ago. My sisters and I read the same books and our conversations would inevitably turn to “Who do you think should play _______ in the movie version?” (because what good is a book if it’s not adapted to a movie you can complain about?) Much arguing and bantering and defending one’s point of view would ensue, and hours later we would have created the perfect dream cast for our favorite books.

Fast forward a bit, I am a stay at home mom with very little adult interaction in my day, and I went out onto fan forums looking for people to discuss this topic with. I noticed there were a lot of forums on IMDb and fansites that talked about fantasy casting, but it was very cumbersome and difficult. And honestly, not very good. I thought, “I can do better. I’ve been doing this for years, just not on my computer.”

So that’s it. A game born out of love, book nerds and boredom, coupled with my insane narcissism and sheer desire to prove that I can do it better than the bucket heads at MSN Entertainment. (Charming, yes?)

When you are working on a new cast list for a book, do you make notes while reading, or do you decide almost immediately as you are reading who you could see in the part? What is your process?

Err… there’s no real process, unfortunately. Here’s how it generally goes, though:

I read a book. The characters take shape in my head. Sometimes I immediately picture an actor (those are the easy ones- hurray!) but usually I have a whole new, never before seen person in my head. Next, I sit down and start poking around on IMDb. Literally. It’s like “Hmmmmm… I need somebody who is in their late thirties and looks like they could be a loving, gentle father figure, but also totally stab you in the back” So I find an actor who is the right age, and I click around in his birth year to find other actors that age. If nobody stands out, I try another year. Or, if nationality is more important, I click on birth cities, or movies made about that area. You get the idea.

The upside of this process is twofold: One, I feel overwhelmingly confident in my choices, and two, I have a strange surge of personal vindication when I find the person that fits the image in my head. It’s like this big game where I’m trying to beat IMDb at keeping secrets from me or something. It’s tragic. And fun. The downside to this process is that it takes FOR.EV.ER. For instance, I have 13 partially completed fantasy casts currently queued up. Each cast takes anywhere from 2-10 hours to complete. So… I have no life.

What genre of books do you prefer to cast? Is there an easier genre? Harder genre?

Ooh, tough one. I think the easiest are the mainstream fiction; The Great Gatsby, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, stuff like that. There are descriptions of the characters, but mostly it’s their personalities that shine. That makes it extremely easy to find the “right” person; looks, height, weight, etc are all irrelevant, and personality and talent become of utmost importance.

There isn’t really a hardest per se, but the book’s audience makes a big difference. A really vast, dedicated audience generally already has somebody that they’ve all rallied around and suggesting that anybody else play their beloved Jace or Mikael Blomkvist is like stepping in front of a firing squad. Also, young audiences tend to be more, um, prejudiced. I guess that’s the right word.

When I put up my fantasy cast for The Host, I received no less than a dozen hate-emails filled with mean comments about how Jessica Biel is old and Mel would certainly be played by _________ (fill in the blank with any 17 year old actress you can think of) Yikes.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work? What genre is your personal favorite?

Ah, I have made no secret of this, and it will certainly undermine my authority as a legitimate literary genius (ha!), but JK Rowling is outstanding. I have read the Harry Potter series through about 10 times, and am currently reading it to my boys at bedtime, and I will never stop being amazed at her talent. Her impeccable use of literary devices, character development and plotting is unparalleled. The deep-seeded foreshadowing, used so lightly you almost don’t recognize it is perfection. It’s not to say that they story is without faults; it has at least two gaping plot holes that I can think of, but for a first time writer? WOW.

In general, I prefer fantasy novels. There’s less sex and foul language to combat with, and it really takes escapism to the max. But I will read just about anything, honestly.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging when trying to cast a book, or writing a blog post about it?

My biggest challenge is trying to please everybody. I know that’s impossible, but I can’t help it. Especially with popular books, like the Hunger Games series, or Cassandra Clare’s work, or comic book characters, there are a LOT of opinions out there, and I am bound to make somebody mad, no matter what I do. Handling the backlash is sometimes tough. Or the crickets. You know, you put up an awesome post that you poured your heart into for weeks, and all you hear are virtual crickets. No comments. No email. Ouch.

After that, trying to make it interesting is always a challenge. Or staying on topic. I often re-read my work and see these crazy, incomprehensible tangents. I edit. A lot.

Is there any advice you want to share with bloggers and blog readers who might want to start their own blog to share something they enjoy doing? Do you consider yourself successful?

I consider myself successful in this way: I am writing about something I love. I am meeting and getting to know people with similar interests and ideas. I am creating something that is mine. I have some amazing readers who never cease to amaze me with the funny or thoughtful comments and emails.

My advice is this: write well and write often. Followers and readers will come in time, so long as your content is quality. And, remember, everybody has a different idea of what “quality” means. If gave up every time I got hate mail or negative comments or nasty replies in forums… well, I would have given up a long time ago. Like, the day after I started. If you’re writing opinions and publicizing them, you will encounter opposing opinions. It’s like Star Wars; there’s an up side and a down side to the Force. Wait, maybe that was Spaceballs.

Wordless Wednesday - My Baby Sis! (:

Stop the Bullying!

I'm not normally the one to put myself out there on issues that bother me... but there is one thing that has been laying heavily on my heart recently - bullying. It has been considered a "normal" thing to most parents/teachers as kids grow up... they brush it off and say "They'll grow out of it." But they don't. I have known many children, teens and adults who are now even into their twenties that were bullied as a kid and have not lead a full life because of it. That still hurt over the pain that was caused many years ago. Myself included.

October is National Bully Prevention Month! Let's do what we can! Check out my previous post about being KIND!

Stop Bullying Now is a resource site and campaign for parents who want to help stop this NOW in our kids lives. When I think back to my own childhood - I remember being made fun of because I didn't wear the most 'trendy' clothes, or because my shoes weren't 'new' - and that was in elementary school! It's really sad today that this is what our children continue to do to one another.

The Stop Bullying Now site says this:

Bullying happens when someone hurts or scares another person on purpose and the person being bullied has a hard time defending himself or herself. Usually, bullying happens over and over.

• Punching, shoving, and other acts that hurt people physically
• Spreading bad rumors about people
• Keeping certain people out of a "group"
• Teasing people in a mean way
• Getting certain people to "gang up" on others

Bullying also can happen online or electronically. Cyberbullying is when children or teens bully each other using the Internet, mobile phones or other cyber technology. This can include:

• Sending mean text, email, or instant messages
• Posting nasty pictures or messages about others in blogs or on Web sites
• Using someone else's user name to spread rumors or lies about someone

As parents and future parents in this world, we need to unite and stop what is happening in the day to day lives of ours kids, the future of this country! There have been FIVE suicides now dealing with teens being bullied about being gay. That's not the only reason that kids feel the need to end their own lives, but right now that's the one we keep hearing about. I'm sure there are more that haven't even been on the news.

I personally don't condone homosexuality, but I would NEVER allow my kids to make fun of or pick on someone who was homosexual - or a different race, or talked different, or dressed different. Jesus ate with the prostitutes so that he could share his faith with them - I feel like being a Christian doesn't mean I have to hate other people that don't share my beliefs. I have to hold them closer to me, and hope that one day they too will know the feeling of salvation! I love all people because God created them all and it's my duty to love them, no matter what!

I just pray that one day when I have my own kids that they allow compassion and caring into their friendships and relationships. I pray that my kids will understand that it's okay for people to be different and we have no right to treat them any differently than anyone else. I pray that my kids will know the difference in right and wrong, and will stand up for the ones being bullied to form a united front. I pray that my kids will love everyone the way that Jesus intended!

More blog posts you might like to read on the subject:
Heather's "Not My Kid"
Bethany Joy's "The American Gossip Epidemic"
October is National Bully Prevention Month

Also, Check out Andrea Prostko's new book Strike One!

Sept 25 - Oct 2 was Banned Books Week!!

I just found out that last week was Banned Books Week and I feel so bad that I missed out! One of the blogs I read did a whole weeks of posts about it and I couldn't help but want to share her posts with you here... they are creative, amazing, and absolutely genius! Thanks Gina for all the posts about banned books!

Day One: Banned Book Week Intro

Day Two: "I Don't Think You Really Read That" Post : Lord of the Rings, Twilight, Harry Potter

Day Three: "What are we Protecting them From?" Post : Judy Blume, Little Women, Diary of Anne Frank, Sex Education

Day Four: "Isn't It Ironic?" Post : Fahrenheit 451, Animal Farm, 1984, A Clockwork Orange

Day Five: "How Books Get Banned" Post : What you can do to help your community!

I hope this helps give others around the world insight to books that should and shouldn't be banned! I get that some people don't want their kids reading about certain things like magic and wizardry... but that just stifles the imagination in my opinion and I hope that through these blog posts and through spreading the message that books like 1984 and Little Women can still be read in schools all over the states!

The Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy - Maggie Stiefvater

One of my favorite young adult book series is called "The Wolves of Mercy Falls" by Maggie Stiefvater.



What I love about this book series is that the wolves are not your typical 'change when they reach a certain age, or when they want to' kind of wolves. It's all about the seasons.

"For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human... until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever."

As the book goes on, there are some "love story" things that happen - just like in most YA books. But there is more to the plot when it comes to these two teens.

"In Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabel, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love—the light and the dark, the warm and the cold—in a way you will never forget."

The trilogy will wrap up in July 2011 with the final installment, Forever. I, for one, personally can't wait for the third book to come out! I have already read the first two books and I adore this series. A lot of people say that this series is too much like the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer. I honestly don't think it has anything in common with the Twilight saga and I am a fan of it as well as the movies.

Maybe you can take my word for it and give this book series a try! I say it's worth it if you are into the young adult fantasy realm like me! (I also enjoyed the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins!)

EDIT: I suggested this book to a fantasy casting site and the owner and caster on the site, Gina, said that Shiver is on her "to read" list and hopefully we will see her casting selections soon! I would love to see Shiver as a movie! (:

A History of Rap: Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake & The Roots

The other morning on Q100 Atlanta Radio, The Bert Show shared this little clip from the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Show. It's a "History of Rap" song that he performed with Justin Timberlake who was on the show to promote the new Facebook movie.

Check out the video here! It's totally worth the few minutes it takes to watch! So funny!

Comment and let me know what you think! (:

More People Need to be Kind!

Ever heard of "card dropping"??

Kind Over Matter is a blog that I visit frequently... They have created a wonderful hope for people in today's society! I enjoy the freebies on their site - I print them, cut them out, and put them in some of the oddest places all over the towns I visit to spread kindness. I have yet to witness anyone else in this town spreading this kind of love, but I enjoy doing it. Hoping that someone out there is getting a smile from a card I left behind!

The site isn't just about card dropping though - they have all kinds of "how to's" on handmade crafts and paper products! They even have an etsy shop to buy some of their products online!

Check them out for some freebies... and get to dropping your own cards! See if you can spread some kindness today!

Edit: Will update with a photo from one of my cards drops soon! (: