Halloween...Ghosts...Spirits...Virgins???

Morning: No idea...slept straight through. Prince Charming could have been singing outside my window, tossing boulders at my house, and I wouldn't have heard a thing. Zzzzzzzz.

Wake-Up: ARGH! What in the name of Halloween is that banging?!?!? Loud--I mean--loud banging. Dear God! Must grab something to defend myself. Ah, perfect: my trusty hair comb and umbrella. (upon reflection, not the best self-defense tools of the trade, but when bleary-eyed and groggy, you go with whatever looks like something you can fling, jab, or flail). My heart pounding, I tiptoed down the stairs, carefully rounding each corner like a slinky cat...in hot pink slippers. Nothing. Everything was absolutely still. Suppose it could have been a neighbor, but the banging sounded like it was inside the house. Odd.

Lunch and Some Myths: "I heard banging in the house, but when I checked, nothing was there," I said to my mom over a baked potato, salad, and milk (no soda--excellent me!).

"Hmm, well maybe you heard a spirit," she said in all seriousness. She does love Halloween.

"Um, what?" She takes this Halloween thing a bit too far sometimes.

"You know, they say virgins and children are more susceptible to sounds and voices from the other side."

Way too far.

Although, this isn't the first time I've heard of this myth and, with hand on heart, I can honestly say I have had my fair share of unexplainable events (one involving my papaw). It's all a little difficult to explain, but I tend to believe in the paranormal. I do like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures--fun shows. I fully intend to watch Ghost Hunters Live tonight.

Still...

"Why virgins do you think?" I asked my mom.

"Well, I would think it's because virgins have less of life's scarring and are more open-minded to things."

Why do moms always say things in a manner that makes complete and total sense out of something totally incomprehensible? Hmm. It's all very intriguing. Maybe this is my calling. Maybe I'm to be a world-renowned medium and can interview famous spirits about their first sexual encounters. Uh, um...oooh, maybe I can roam heaven's citizens for my "dead" soul mate. Err. Maybe not.

Late Afternoon and Evening: Cowboys lost...again...to Jacksonville. Pathetic. We are now 1-6. It's almost getting comical, like playing connect-the-dots to see what picture you will get. Right now, I'm getting a picture of a giant horse's a**.  Wonder what it will be by the end of the season...oh, wait, it is the end of the season.

Dale Earnhardt Jr:  Oh, God, it just gets worse. I love watching him drive in restrictor plate races--he's like Maverick, You Big Stud (Top Gun, for those unfamiliar), especially in these races...fun to watch and you marvel over the man's technique. Today, at Talladega, Dale was driving masterfully; he had a fast car; he led laps...then, all heck broke loose.  He got into Jeff Burton a little too hard and....you guessed it: wreck. Dale's chances of winning? None. Day over. So sad. Just sucks for him...want to see him back in winner's circle.

It was one of those racing deals. Dale felt terrible, blaming himself for the incident. Honestly, when I see some drivers give interviews (or run away from them) and have zero accountability, it makes me proud to cheer for Dale--he's all man.

Night: Watching Ghost Hunters LIVE on SyFy. Fun stuff.

RING. RING.

Oh, Lord, I'm about to find out everything...married, not married, married, not married. What do I want to hear? Would it even change anything? No, it wouldn't...it couldn't.  My friends used to say it's written in the stars. If true, why have the stars been buried in clouds all these years?

RING. RING.

BFF: "We suck. We suck bad. It's over. We're going 1-15. We're the worst team in the NFL."

Time for a BFF rant on the Cowboys.

Late Night: After diagnosing the Cowboys and answering some e-mails, I finished watching Ghost Hunters Live (no major ghosts found), ate some candy corn (very wrong), drank some soda (really must stop), and decided to solve two of the world's major problems (much better use of time). It's unfortunate my mind has been preoccupied with more pressing matters...like whether I prefer the caviar shampoo sample I received to Pantene, my old standby (don't think I prefer said sample).  Hmm. Not a great use of my time.

I blame the Cowboys...and my toilet.  It all started with toilet toes.  

Oh, and the Texas Rangers lost. Gotta tell ya, I'm just hitting it out of the ballpark this year, aren't I? If this is any indication of what's to come when pesky-pissy-pricky phone decides to ring, then I may need to consider massive quantities of Advil...and Pepto-Bismol.

Weekly Digest: October 31

Happy Halloween! I hope everyone was much more creative than I was this year, and at least kind of dressed up.

Yesterday was the Teen Book Festival at the Provo City Library with keynote speaker, Scott Westerfeld.  It was fantastic.  The Provo Library always has fantastic events. I can't wait to see who they have next year.  I got a few things signed by Scott Westerfeld, and also said hello to a few Utah authors. I also did a video taped interview with Scott after the event, and I can't wait to show it to you. He was really awesome.

Here's what I got this week (okay month):

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett
Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia (Bought and Signed!)
Uglies and Specials by Scott Westerfeld (Bought and Signed!)
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin (Signed; Birthday gift from my dad!)
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (Signed!)
Anti-Comet Pills to promote Selling Hope by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Coming up this week in posts:

Interview with Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Review of Plain Kate by Erin Bow
Interview with Scott Westerfeld
Review of Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein

In My Postbox #25

In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren, and all links take you to Amazon UK.

Hi guys! Hope everyone has had a great week! These are the books that I got for review this week! 

0.4 by Mike Lancaster

UK Proof/Advanced Reader's Copy

"It's a brave new world. 'My name is Kyle Straker. And I don't exist anymore.' So begins the story of Kyle Straker, recorded on to old audio tapes. You might think these tapes are a hoax. But perhaps they contain the history of a past world...If what the tapes say are true, it means that everything we think we know is a lie. And if everything we know is a lie does that mean that we are, too?"

How awesome does this sound and look? Wow. I cannot wait to get reading this! Thanks to Jenny at Egmont for this!

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

UK Proof/Advanced Reader's Copy

"There was a time when love was the most important thing in the world. People would go to the end of the earth to find it. They would tell lies for it. Even kill for it.

Then, at last, they found the cure.

Now, everything is different. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Haloway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But then, with only ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable."

This sounds very cool! Can't wait to read it! Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for this!

So that's what I got this week! Hope you all have a good week! I start my new job on Wednesday so that'll be exciting! Until next time! :)

Happy Halloween

Okay. I am not the biggest Halloween fan, loathing the idea of trick or treating (but I like the original, centuries old traditions of Halloween). But I wanted to wish everyone a spooky day. I shall be reading a good scary book (to be decided) and not much else. Haha. Oh, and not answering the door to trick or treaters! Ha. What are your plans? Just remember to be safe! :)

Cover VS Cover:

US // UK

This is on my reading pile and I can't wait to get to it, and today the US cover art is going to battle it out with the UK cover!

I might be biased considering I own the UK edition, but the British cover art is beautiful. The image is just so cool and powerful. It has a matte finish while the black is glossy. Everything about it is just brilliant!

As for the US cover, it's nice but there's something un-definable that I don't like about it. I've seen a few other people say that it reminds them of Christopher Paolini's Inheritance cycle books. So perhaps it's that. It just doesn't look as nice or enticing as the UK cover. 

This week, it just has to be the UK. I'm sorry, but in my opinion there is no competition!

So which do you guys prefer?

I Hate "What If..."

Wake-up: Did I just dream about The One That Wasn't? Damn...I did. It's the first time he has infiltrated my sleep since, oh, the night I found out he married Violet, the three headed she-creature. Of course, that particular dream involved him falling into a dark hole in the earth, never to emerge again. **Perhaps she is not at all the kind of individual as I've been told...she may be perfectly nice...still, I wish to think of her as a she-creature.

The night before learning of his sudden marriage, I had a dream where he and I were to be married, only I ran away on the day of said weeding...I mean wedding; he had to take to the local news media, begging me to let him know where we should meet for our nuptials. Ironic.

Last night's dream was far more concerning. He invited me to his house...had something he needed to tell me: he wants a baby...and apparently I'm the one to help him with that endeavor.

My uterus hurts.

Stumbling out of bed, I realized the severe lack of sleep (and said dream that may have intoxicated my ovaries) has impacted my ability to function normally--my red toe and bruised knee provide the proof...I swear the door jam came out of nowhere.

Lunch: My phone is an ass. Most days it sits quietly by until Mom or Dad calls...or until bff rings to rant about the Cowboys, brag about his 175 IQ, or talk about his split personality (he doesn't actually have one, although sometimes I could swear he has 937 of them). Today was different. The phone stared at me, mocked me. You know I will ring when you least expect it, right? You'll forget to check the number, like always, and you will not be prepared for what I throw at you. Stupid, insensitive phone.

Still, it stayed quiet, which was quite the opposite of the other night. Amidst everything that has been going on around here, my phone jingled with a message from my living ghost.  It was a simple message with a splash of tease. Since then, nothing. The phone remains blissfully, yet annoyingly silent...like it's hunting its prey--a miniature velociraptor waiting to strike with its ringtones and lob off my ears. 

Night: Not much to report. Very quiet, thank goodness. My parents are doing well, which is a great blessing. I've tucked my phone away in the vein hope that it will find something better to do with its time...like lose all its battery charge.

Hmm. Can't help but wonder why The One That Wasn't dared to wriggle free from she-creature's tentacles to send a message to me...and why now? Hateful curiosity.

Of course, Dad isn't helping. Yesterday's comments are still weighing on my mind.

"Maybe he's not married. What if the messenger got the message wrong?"

Not possible. I don't think it's possible. How could someone be that wrong? What if it's possible?  "I doubt it, Dad."

"You haven't heard it from him, have you? Until then, how do you know?"

Rats. Must raid Mom's DVD closet...yes, an entire area of her closet is devoted to DVDs. Ah! Ever After, Titanic, and You've Got Mail.

"Oh, no, not Titanic," my dad gasped, "you'll snot all over the place."

Lovely.

So, tonight I sit, trying not to contemplate things. I find thinking is highly overrated...kind-of like treadmills. Argh! My knee hurts...stupid door jam. Time for a small bowl of Captain Crunch and a little Pride & Prejudice.

Crud. Dallas Mavericks lost. Rangers are now down two games. Cowboys are...ugh....awful. Maybe I need a slightly bigger bowl of Captain Crunch...and a soda...and some candy corn...then something for my stomach which will undoubtedly flip sideways.

Old Ghosts Resurface

First, let me apologize for falling behind on reading blogs.  Maybe I'm weak, but when either one of my parents gets so violently sick that they can barely breathe, it takes every fiber of my being to stay strong. My parents mean the world to me-- I can't stand seeing them sick...I can't even handle the thought. I just always want them to be happy and healthy. Please know that everything is getting better, but it has been a rough couple of days.

Old Ghosts Resurface...

I did want to share something y'all might find interesting...sure as heck shocked the you-know-what out of me.

Ghostly spirits are said to have easier access to the living during this time of year. What I failed to realize was the impact Halloween has on living ghosts...the kind you don't expect to hear from again...the kind that leaves a message on your phone...the kind that is supposed to be living his happily ever after. 

I know one thing...this happened sooner than most thought. What a treat (meant sarcastically) he is...or a trick...or both. Haunted at Halloween...who would have thought?

Excerpt: Freefall by Anna Levine

Welcome to Anna Levine, author of Freefall which is now available in bookstores. Wondering what Freefall is all about?... Then read the excerpt below.

Without wanting to give anything away, this excerpt is from the epilogue. I’ve chosen it because it mirrors the prologue and yet shows how far Aggie has come from the beginning of her journey to this pivotal moment in her life. (Freefall, page 248-250)

      I am about to jump.

      Feet, knees, hip, back, roll.

      I am about to jump wearing a full load on my back.

      Feet, knees, hip, back, roll.

      Crammed tightly, the pack is stuffed with my anxieties, fears – and the army-issued parachute. Strapped to me it is secured to my chest with strings and clasps. It holds my heart in place, should it try to break free. When the time is right, I will yank the cord.

      At that moment, the pack will open. My fears will rise to the dome of my chute where they will hover. And for a moment, I will be free of them.

      Feet, knees, hip, back, roll. I have been trained to react without thinking. My body knows the drill. I will fall. Drift. Soar. Once my feet make contact with the ground, I will drop to my knees, lean into my hip, flip onto my back and roll.

      Not another rehearsal, this is reality. Am I ready? Yes. I can do this. Really, I am.

      The door is pushed open and a rush of air blasts at me. The noise of the airplane motorswells and crashes inside my head.

      I am sandwiched in. And can’t retreat. We shuffle forward like penguins. Birds without wings forced to fly. My hands clench the rungs. I have been trained for this moment, but nothing can tame the terror in my bones and the fear churning in my stomach.

      “Green!”

      I’m not ready to let go.

      “Jump!”

      The air batters against my chest pressing me back. The engine thunders in my head.

And then my fingers are pried from the rungs.

----

      There are moments in life when you have to jump. You throw yourself into the atmosphere hoping you’ll land right, hoping your parachute will open and ease your fall. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a crowd of onlookers waiting on the ground to greet you. Some chutes glide with the wind until landing effortlessly. Others get caught up in turbulence and the ride down to earth is bumpier, the landing harder. The thing is that you never know how it’ll be until you step out and take the chance.

And when you hit the air, before your automatic parachute opens, there are a few seconds in which you are suspended. Skydivers call it freefall. I like to think of it as that fleeting moment in life when you can see everything with unusual clarity.

      As I peer out at the land rising up towards me, I am amazed at how small it all looks as if I could scoop up all the land and cradle it in the palm of my hand. I wonder, as I am watched from below, if I look like a kite that has broken loose from the strings which once held it.

      Feet, knees, hip, back, roll.

      The ground is hard: Feet.

      The impact quick: Knees

      But I am quicker: Hips.

      The sky retreats: Back

      I am home: Roll.

Top Halloween Reads 2010

Well Halloween is here again! If you're like me and don't really like trick or treating, and would much rather be in the warmth of your home (let's face it, it's freezing right now!) reading a good, chilling book, then these are my ultimate recommendations to make your Halloween 2010 a spooky, chilling spectacle!

Shadow Bringer by David Calcutt

"Nathan knows something is watching him - something menacing and dangerous. Something without a shape, that he can't get out of his head. The Creature. Then there are the noises he starts hearing in the attic. Shuffling. Scratching. Even a voice. The Bogeyman. Nathan's sure that the Creature and the Bogeyman are the same thing. Whatever it is, it's after him. As soon as it's strong enough, it will show Nathan what it really wants. And it's growing stronger all the time . . ."

An excellent, unsettling psychological thriller that I loved! You can check out my full review here.

Witchfinder: Dawn of the Demontide by William Hussey

"The first in a terrifying trilogy, read on if you dare: Jake could now see the demon fully. Its body was a mass of steely sinew, its arms roped with muscle. Six fingers sprouted from its hands, each ending in lethal talons. The thing did not possess a nose; instead a large hole, bubbling with green mucus, occupied the middle of its face. Mr Pinch's tongue flickered between his teeth and slurped across his fat lips. He was hungry. When a violent storm rages around the little village of Hobarron's Hollow, a young boy is sacrificed 'for the greater good'. His blood is used to seal a mystical doorway and prevent an apocalyptic disaster known only as the Demontide. Twenty-five years later, another boy, Jake Harker, is about to be drawn into the nightmare of the Demontide. Witches and their demon familiars stalk his every move, and his dreams are plagued by visions of a 17th Century figure known only as the Witchfinder. When his father is abducted, Jake must face the terrible secrets kept by those closest to him and a shocking truth that will change his life forever . . ."

An absolute beast of a book that is not to be missed! Check out my full review here.

Candor by Pam Bachorz

"My name is Oscar and I am the perfect teenager. My girlfriend is the hottest girl in school. I get straight As. I am class president. But there is a terrible reason I am so perfect: the Messages. Oscar Banks lives in the pristine town of Candor. Son of the mayor, he is good-looking, smart and popular. And he knows something he's not supposed to - he knows about the brainwashing Messages embedded in the music that plays all over the town. But Oscar has found a way to burn counter-Messages that keep him real. Up to now, it's all worked perfectly. There's just one problem: Nia Silva, the newest Candor arrival. What will Oscar risk to keep the Nia he loves rather than watch her become a Candor automaton? Deeply chilling, "Candor" is a psychological thriller that will haunt readers with its vision of a world controlled by something worse than Big Brother."

Candor isn't a particularly scary book, but it's chilling and unsettling and will make a brilliant Halloween read! Full review here.

Birth of a Killer by Darren Shan

"Following the massive success of the Demonata series, Darren Shan is back where it all started – telling the life story of the vampire Larten Crepsley. Spanning centuries and continents, taking in sea voyages, murder, war and love, this is the epic, bloodsoaked tale of a vampire who started out a nobody… and ended up changing the world forever. When Larten escapes the terrible workhouse in which he toils, he doesn’t know that he is running from an early death… into another kind of transformation. After meeting the mysterious vampire Seba Nile while sheltering for the night in a crypt, Larten finds himself drawn into the shadowy world of the vampire Clan. As he travels and learns, Larten finds himself enjoying the adventure he has always dreamed of, seeing a world beyond any he suspected in his poverty-stricken youth. But Larten begins to discover something else, too. Much like death, becoming a vampire is something you can’t come back from…"

It wouldn't be Halloween without a brand new Darren Shan book to devour! Check out my review here, and make sure you don't miss this brilliant beginning to a new saga!


And my last recommendation is...

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver


"'What is it? What does it want? Why is it angry with me?' January 1937. Clouds of war are gathering over a fogbound London. Twenty-eight year old Jack is poor, lonely and desperate to change his life. So when he's offered the chance to be the wireless operator on an Arctic expedition, he jumps at it. Spirits are high as the ship leaves Norway: five men and eight huskies, crossing the Barents Sea by the light of the midnight sun. At last they reach the remote, uninhabited bay where they will camp for the next year. Gruhuken. But the Arctic summer is brief. As night returns to claim the land, Jack feels a creeping unease. One by one, his companions are forced to leave. He faces a stark choice. Stay or go. Soon he will see the last of the sun, as the polar night engulfs the camp in months of darkness. Soon he will reach the point of no return - when the sea will freeze, making escape impossible. And Gruhuken is not uninhabited. Jack is not alone. Something walks there in the dark."


Another brilliant book by Michelle, chilling and scary and just perfect for Halloween (or any cold dark Winter night!) My full review can be read here! Make sure you get it, or you might just have some ghosts to answer to!


So there you go. My recommendations for Top Halloween reads. Some of these would not just be perfect for Halloween, but for the cold Winter nights! So don't miss out on these fantastic books! :)

Waiting on Wednesday (14): I Am J

I Am J by Cris Beam

Published by: Little Brown Books.

Format: Hardback.

Released: 7th April 2011

Amazon UK

"J spun. His stomach clenched hard, as though he'd been hit. It was just the neighbour lady, Mercedes. J couldn't muster a hello back, not now; he didn't care that she'd tell his mother he'd been rude. She should know better. Nobody calls me Jeni anymore. J always felt different. He was certain that eventually everyone would understand who he really was: a boy mistakenly born as a girl. Yet as he grew up, his body began to betray him; eventually J stopped praying to wake up a 'real boy' and started covering up his body, keeping himself invisible - from his family, from his friends...from the world. But after being deserted by the best friend he thought would always be by his side, J decides that he's done hiding - it's time to be who he really is. And this time he is determined not to give up, no matter the cost."

This book is so new that it doesn't even have a cover yet. But just based on the synopsis it sounds really really good and I for one cannot wait to read it. Going straight on my wishlist!

True Blood Tuesday--Trick or Treat?

Halloween is upon us, the night where the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest.  It seems only fitting we have a little trick or treat post, True Blood style.

Are you ready for some scoop on what may be upcoming in Season 4?

1. Expect a great deal of magic in season 4...literally. We're talking witches, wizards, and sorcerers folks.

2.  Shapeshifters will get an important role next season, with the introduction of new characters, an exploration into new shapeshifting avenues; and a rumored in-depth look into the mythology of shapeshifting.

3.  Trick or Treat? Rumors are flying that season 4 may explore a new relationship between familiar characters...Sam and Bill.  (How do y'all feel about this one?  Remember, Sam had a very revealing dream about Bill in season 3).

4.  We'll have some new characters thrown into the mix. Thanks to EW.com, we have the following character revelations: Andy's sister, Portia, will be a sharp-tongued lawyer; Naomi, the cage fighter, will add some spice; Queen Mab will be a short-tempered ruler, possibly of Sookie's fairyland; and Suzanne, a housewife type will stop at nothing to bond with her kind.

Happy Halloween!

Teaser Tuesday #1

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting.

'"Oh, and don't forget, you're babysitting for Uncle Stephen tonight." Violet made a face, but her mum stopped her before she could actually argue."

Page 22, Line 2-4.

The End Of The Cowboys' Season

I'm fairly certain the end was already here, but when your QB gets knocked out of the game with a broken collarbone, you are officially done, signed, sealed, and delivered. Tony Romo is out for potentially 8-10 weeks. Now, you know I've been pretty tough on Romo. Then again, many lifelong Cowboys' fans feel the same way, and experts like Super Bowl winning head coach, Tony Dungy, as well as former Cowboys' stars, Tony Dorsett and Charles Hayley. I'm not alone in how I feel.

Thank our defense and special teams for the 20 points; Romo didn't have to do much, apart from not turning it over.

Now we have 38 year old John Kitna in at QB. Apparently, he's in there because he is seasoned and experienced.  Some would argue he is indeed experienced...at losing. Bless him, I really don't envy his position, but fans do not want him in there to carry their team. We're about to go 1-5, the season is gone, why not take a chance? Throw in your underdog, Texas A&M QB, Stephen McGee. What do you have to lose? Give the kid a chance--see what he can do! He just might give this team a much needed shot in the arm (they already have a shot in the foot).

For now, I'll watch them self-destruct. They've given up. It's deplorable, depressing, and embarrassing.  I can tell y'all one thing, if I could be down there, I'd have their butts in gear so fast it would make your head spin.

This team needs an overhaul, there is no question. Should this team go 1-15 with the on-paper talent they have, perhaps Jerry will look back to the 1990's and realize the formula that worked...the formula that put the fear in every opponent we faced...the formula that won us Super Bowls and made us the team of the 90s. 

I want my old Cowboys back.

Random Gripes (Sort-of An I Don't Get It Thing)

I'm bored and sleepy.  Let's gripe!

There are some commercials on the air today that really bug me. 

1. Tide (My mom HATES this commercial)--The mom who borrows her daughter's green shirt.  So, parents are supposed to teach their children to always tell the truth; parents expect their children not to lie. YET, in this ad, good 'ole mom lies to her daughter. Brief recap: Daughter asks mom if she has seen her green shirt; mom responds, "It's not really my style;" mom remembers wearing it on a girls' night out and spilling something on it; mom digs the shirt out, uses Tide, and cleans the shirt; the next day, mom comments to her daughter, "Oh, you found your shirt," when her daughter walks in wearing it; daughter replies, "Oh, yeah, it must have been hiding in my closet somewhere." The commercial ends with the mom looking pretty proud. Isn't that totally hypocritical? (Not to mention the florescent green top is just all sorts of wrong...not a florescent fan, unless it's on a sign).

2. (Not sure of the brand...Apple, maybe?) There is a commercial out now where everyone in every situation uses a phone to make a decision for them: Girl tells a monster in her bedroom, "It says you're not real. Sorry;" etc. What? Really? Can we not figure things out for ourselves? Do we need a phone to make decisions for us, replace common sense, etc? Why don't we just find another brilliant technological advance to dumb down society and stifle imagination even more! Irritates me.

3.  What's with all the di&% drug commercials today? I don't need to watch a NASCAR race or football game in the middle of the day, on a Sunday, and see a constant stream of horny men with ED. Several things bug me about these ads.

A.  These commercials shouldn't air until after 11 p.m. Nobody wants to see those commercials, especially during sporting events. Imagine watching a football game with your son or daughter and having them ask, "What is ED?" Besides, let's be real here, if a man has ANY issue with his perky, he's going to Superman his way to the nearest doctor without ever having to see a commercial for di&^ drugs.

B.  Why do the men in the ads have to get some when the women are typically busy doing household chores? Laundry, painting, etc. Huh? I mean, really? What happened to romance? So, all we can expect is: "I'm horny, it's working, lay down, dear." Ick.

C. I always laugh at the men in the commercials wanting to get busy with their wives. Now, I'd like to believe a man would want to be with his wife upon getting the goods working again, but...look around! He may get it on with his wife because she is the there in the moment (his moment), but do you really think he won't want to share his rediscovered manhood with newer models? (I blame Tiger and Brett for this type of thinking.)

Speaking of #4...

Brett Favre: Well, he has admitted to sending the Playboy and former Jets' employee voice mails--you know, the booty calls--but denies any sexting (i.e. pics of his perky). Well, I guess he really tried to hook up with her. I feel so bad for his wife. What was he thinking?! We know what he was thinking with, but did he even think of his wife when he tried to bed another woman? 

Experts say that people forgive and forget; that if he would simply admit his wrongdoings and apologize, people would wrap their arms around him and forgive all.  Really? An apology after getting caught hardly constitutes an apology in my book. Like Tiger Woods, I will never be able to look at Favre the same way again. In fact, I can't even look at him. He turns my stomach, as does Woods. Maybe the vast majority of people will forgive and forget...I'm not one of them. Reckon that makes me an outsider...imagine that. :)

Okay, I'm done...until tonight...after the Cowboys play. Ugh. My stomach churns just thinking about it.

Makeup Magic Monday: Benefit Dandelion Luminizer

This is probably my favorite "blush" ever. I don't like to look like Betty Boop when I apply blush. I prefer a natural pink. Hello, Dandelion! This powder is truly your natural pale pink in a box.  In fact, it's not really a blush--it's light, natural and makes you look like you had the best sleep of your life.

The benefits of Benefit's Dandelion:

1. Natural looking--purely the perfect pink I've ever found.
2. Will NOT break out sensitive skin, based on my findings.
3. Large quantity--this will last you ages
4. Adjustable color--because it looks so natural, you can easily add extra blush without looking like Betty Boop. Mistake Proof!!!
5. This is one of those colors that will look gorgeous on any skin tone. 

Benefit's Dandelion, available at Sephora, $28.

Cover of the Week 4

Another week, another Cover of the Week! And this week it's the turn of Batimaeus: The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud! 

Published earlier this month, it serves as a prequel to the hugely successful Bartimaeus trilogy. I myself haven't read the trilogy, but I have this sitting on my reading pile and cannot wait to read it! But in the meantime, isn't that cover beautiful? In the flesh it's even cooler. The black bit at the top is glossy and the actually image has a matte finish which makes it even cooler!

Happy Birthday, and you get the presents

Today is my 24th birthday.

Already it is shaping up to be the best one yet.

I'm one step closer to being able to rent a car by myself.

No one is in the hospital or on cancer treatments. (Three cheers to my husband, the brain cancer survivor!)

And this morning my baby sang me a special song. (as she is wont to do in the wee hours of the morning)

In celebration of all this, I thought it was appropriate to have a little present for all of my dear readers who make my life so special with your kind and thoughtful comments.

On Thursday I went to Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl's signing in SLC. (Video and pics coming of that next week).  They were very generous with their SWAG, and I got a bunch of bookmarks, key chains, dog tags, and buttons.

I am going to give a swag pack to one lucky commenter. Just leave a comment below, making sure I have an email to contact you. (Connecting your email address with blogger is sufficient).  It can be about your favorite birthday, a birthday wish for you, or something unrelated.  I will go ahead and ship internationally on this one. I'll pick a winner at 11:59 pm on Monday.

Oh! And thank you so much for the beautiful birthday cake:

Via cakewrecks.com

You shouldn't have...

Clue Technique -- Discredit Your Witness

In an earlier post, we discussed how the magical JK Rowling uses diversion to masterly distract the reader from any clues which she lays. She employs several techniques for drawing our attention away from these tidbits, which we can utilize in our own stories. In this post, we'll look at one.

One way you can hide a clue is to make the person who reveals it look like a complete idiot. For JKR, Trelawney and Luna seem to be the biggest target for hiding these sly nuggets. They simply spout so much nonsense, each in her own way, that you don’t expect them to ever get anything right. Fudge is a similar character. So, once a character has been discredited, he or she becomes a prime candidate for laying an important clue.

Of course, what Trelawney’s most famous for are her two “true” prophecies--the one that led Voldemort to Harry on that fateful Halloween, and the one about Wormtail returning to his master--but she also makes an accurate prediction in Harry’s very first lesson:

     "My dear," Professor Trelawney's huge eyes opened dramatically, "You have the Grim."
     "The what?" said Harry.
     He could tell that he wasn't the only one who didn't understand; Dean Thomas shrugged at him and Lavender Brown looked puzzled, but nearly everybody else clapped their hands to their mouths in horror.
     "The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that Harry hadn't understood. "The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen -- the worst omen -- of death!"
     Harry's stomach lurched. That dog on the cover of Death Omens in Flourish and Blotts -- the dog in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent...

 (p. 107, PoA)

Trelawney is presented as a charlatan, McGonagall discredits her entirely and tells Harry she’s predicted a death every year, and the reader knows quite well Harry’s not going to die in book 3 of a 7-book series (which JKR had already announced). So, who would pay attention to the very real clue that death is attached to the Grim? It’s not Harry’s death that’s being foretold, however, it’s the dog’s death...it’s Sirius’. The Grim, Sirius’ animagus alter-ego, finally catches up to him at the end of OotP.

Taking Trelawney seriously is one thing...but Luna...? Still I think Luna was on to something big. From her (or her father’s) accusations that “Fudge’s dearest ambition is to seize control of the goblin gold supply” (p. 174, OotP Bloomsbury), to Scrimgeour being a vampire (p. 294, HBP, Bloomsbury), to the Aurors as part of the Roftang Conspiracy to “bring down the Ministry of Magic using a combination of Dark magic and gum disease” (p. 299, HBP, Bloomsbury), she seemed to be hitting rather hard that something was rotten within the ministry and a battle for power was imminent. In Deathly Hallows, one of the first things to happen was the fall of the Ministry, toppled from within.

So, if you’ve done the work to create an outlandish character, utilize one of JKR’s techniques and put the character to extra work by giving her an outlandish clue to hide that the reader will never suspect. Make sure she truly does spout nonsense most of the time, or the reader will catch onto you and start taking your character seriously. Remember, it’s always sleight-of-hand, distraction, that you’re going for.

Do you have a clue you need to plant which would be great coming out of the mouth of a character your writer won't take seriously?  If so, please share in the comment trail!

This article is part of the Sleight of Hand series with tags of  Mystery Plotting and Clues.

Picture credits: Prof. Trelawney, Luna Lovegood

In My Postbox #24

In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren, and all links take you to Amazon UK.

Hello everyone! First off, let me apologies for the relative silence the last week or so. I've been sick with the cold/flu/lergy and haven't really had the time or energy to do much besides lay in bed feeling sorry for myself and reading! Getting better though, and the review list is growing and that needs to be sorted out, so I'm hoping this week won't be so quiet! Anyway, I got some very cool books this weeks, so without further or do, here is this week's In My Postbox!

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting.

"Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies – or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world...and the imprints that attach to their killers. Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift, but now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him. Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer – and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling in love, Violet is getting closer to discovering a killer...and becoming his prey herself."

I'm reading this now actually and loving it! The cover is so simplistic and beautiful. It really stands out! Thanks to Sam at Headline for this! :D (Published 11th November!)

Entice by Carrie Jones.

"Zara and Nick are soul-mates - they're meant to be together for ever. But that's not quite how things have worked out. For starters, Nick is dead, and has been taken to Valhalla, a mystical resting place for warriors. If they can find the way there, Zara and her friends will try to get him back. But even if they do, Zara has turned pixie - and now she's Astley's queen! Meanwhile, more teenagers go missing as a group of evil pixies devastates the town of Bedford. An all-out war seems imminent and Zara and her friends need all the warriors they can find..."

I haven't actually heard of this series before, so I'm looking forward to reading this! Thanks to Emma at Bloomsbury for this! (Published 4th January 2011!)

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

UK Proof/Advanced Reader's Copy

"New name, new town, new life. Nastasya has done it too often to count. And there’s no end in sight. Nothing ever really ends . . . when you’re immortal.

Captivating, intense and with an incredible and original voice, IMMORTAL BELOVED is a haunting story of friendship, love and secrets, tragedy and loss."

This sounds really good and I am thoroughly looking forward to reading it. The cover is really cool, and so is the envelope that the book actually came in. Check it out below (Massive white bit in the middle is where my address was, deleted for obvious reasons, ha!). Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for this! (Published 6th January 2011!)

So there you go! Those are the awesome books I got this week. Big thanks to all the publicists/publishers! I appreciate every book I get sent! Thank you! Hope everyone has a great week!