It's the last Wednesday of May, which similar to last week, means not only do I get to ask something about you - but I also get to participate in today's RTW!
AND THIS WEEK'S TOPIC:What book and/or writing conference would you love to go to?
For RTW's Conference Theme Week, they want to know which writing, reading, book blogging, or other publishing-related conferences are on your "must attend" list. Here's a great breakdown of some of the main conferences, as well as Phoebe's reminder that other kinds of conferences can totally relate to writing, too!
There are several conferences I'd love to go to, but in particular, I've got two I've always wanted to attend - and some day I will! What would be even better, is if all my writing pals out there were able to go, too - I'd love to meet so many of you in person!
1. Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators annual conference in LA:
2. BEA: Book Expo America in NYC:
So how about you? What writing conferences have you always wanted to attend?
It's Wednesday, which means not only do I get to ask something about you, but I also get to participate in today's RTW - something I haven't done in so long!
And This Week's Topic:What Faction Are You?
In honor of Bookmobile Book of the Month, Veronica Roth's INSURGENT, I want to know which of the five factions in the DIVERGENT series would you choose?
This would've been the faction I chose, quiz or no quiz, as it suits my personality perfectly...especially since I would've been the first to jump, too. :) But what about you?
Man, it's been a tough week around the ole' Pink Palace (check out this article to find out why). And while I'm grateful I still have a job...I'm still so glad the weekend is finally here!
My plans for the weekend include: dinner and a movie (probably BATTLESHIP - mmmm, Alexander Skarsgard!), revisions, and shopping for carpet for the WHOLE house (jealous, I know...).
A few Friday Funnies I just had to post, as they made me laugh this morning!
At 4'11" on a good day, I know how he feels...
And yet, all the characters in my first book had lush, rolling waves of fiery hair!
Huh.
I actually think I need this for myself!
And if you're a dog owner, this is one of the funniest Tumblr sites - most of which I shouldn't post to my blog:
Happy Friday, everyone - what are your plans for the weekend?
I can't believe it's already the 3rd Thursday in May - but since it is, that also means I get to share something about someone else today, in the Blog Me MAYbe blogfest.
But first, a video:
Many of you may have seen this video last week, as it rapidly took the world by storm. It was filmed by one of the patients in the hemoncology floor of Seattle Children's Hospital here in my neck of the woods, and features numerous other patients, as well as some of the amazing nurses there.
And why did I choose to share this video? Not only because it's inspiring, but also because this video touches a personal chord for me.
You see, my older sister has worked for Seattle Children's Hospital for years. And while originally her job was one behind a desk, she'd surprised us all a couple of years ago, when she announced she'd decided to go back to school to become a nurse - a decision made based on much of what we'd been dealing with, with our mom. And not only had she decided to go back to school, but she was already more than halfway done with her course work!
While I may be biased because she's my sister, I do think it takes a pretty amazing person to be able to work in the medical field, especially those that work with children...and even more so, when they work with kids that have cancer. A job I'm not sure I'd be able to do myself, which is why I'm sure I write for kids, instead.
My sister will graduate from the nursing program at Seattle University on June 10th - less than a month away - and once she's finished, not only will she have added a third degree to her repertoire, but more importantly, she'll also become one of the nurses shown in this video. She is fortunate to already work with all of these kids that have now become superstars, in the clinic she's in this quarter - and honestly, I can't wait to see her dancing around with the kids in a new video, next year.
I'm very proud of my sister and what she's decided to take on in her life. She'll make a fabulous nurse at Seattle Children's Hospital. And I'm grateful there are people like her and all the nurses in the video, that are unselfishly willing to do whatever they can, to find a cure for this horrible disease - and to help those who need it most.
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.
With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.
My Review:
How in the world did it take me so long to read this one!!! I ordered all three books in the series just before BITTERBLUE was about to be released, in hopes of having something good once I finished INSURGENT. And let me tell you, I was NOT disappointed!
I flew through GRACELING and would've read it much faster, had there not been so many pages that I had to re-read, then read again, because I loved the interaction between Katsa and Po! It's been a loooooong time since I've done that.
The world building that Kristin Cashore invites us into, I thought was brilliant. Reminiscent of Narnia, everything about the seven kingdoms unfolds around you - begging you to smell the dirt and the trees, feel the cold and the snowflakes, or get sick on the high seas with Bitterblue.
And then there's Katsa.
Katsa is exactly the heroine I've been waiting for. Don't get me wrong, I love, love, love Katniss - and Tris is right up there for me, too...but there's something about how raw and explosive Katsa is, that I completely relate to. She's strong and determined, yet stubborn and short-fused. Everything about her made the perfect lead character, and her flaws made her that much stronger.
And Po. Oh, Po. I loved this character from the very first page he showed up - and I just knew he was going to turn Katsa's world upside down. Not only was he laid-back and observant, but he was also incredibly humble...something which helped to ground Katsa, whether she wanted it or not.
All of the other characters in the book were well-written, focused, and rounded out the story completely: Bitterblue who offered her youth with charm and charisma, Raffin, with his fierce loyalty, Randa - Katsa's last blood relative - who deserved more punishment than he got, for how he used her...and of course, King Leck. This character was written so well, I wanted to kill him myself - and his cruelty to animals and children alone, made him the ultimate villain.
If I had to come up with any criticism for GRACELING, I'd say maybe it was a little slow at the beginning, but that's stretching to come up with something. I really enjoyed this book and the journey it took me on - and I'm very much looking forward to what comes next, with FIRE and BITTERBLUE. Stay tuned for my reviews!
It's Wednesday - and for today's Blog Me MAYbe post, I get to learn something about all of you!
There are many reasons why we all write. Plenty of us have always wanted to be a writer, ever since we could hold a #2 pencil in our hands. For some, it's because of an amazing author or teacher, that sparked the creativity inside ofOh, so true... us. For others, maybe it wasn't until more recently that we realized writing can be an amazing way to express our creativity.
Whatever it is that made you decide, I'd like to know:
It's the last Wednesday of May, which similar to last week, means not only do I get to ask something about you - but I also get to participate in today's RTW! 
For RTW's Conference Theme Week, they want to know which writing, reading, book blogging, or other publishing-related conferences are on your "must attend" list. Here's a great breakdown of some of the main conferences, as well as Phoebe's reminder that other kinds of conferences can totally relate to writing, too!
