On Pain of Death

There is a reason I am posting. My friend will tell you it is because she asked nicely. She is wrong. I'm not saying she threatened me with bodily harm should I not update, and soon, but I will say that the maniacal look in her eye created a deep pit of fear inside me. So, I am posting, but it will be stream-of-conciousness style.

I don't really like eating fish, except for sushi. I'm not sure why. I think the texture is odd. Which is also the reason I don't like eating plain bananas and yogurt.

You know who's hot? Christian Kane. He's Eliot in Leverage, and he sings, and, and. :D Yeah.

Tasty, tasty Will Smith. Should I be trying to write this while trying to watch Wild Wild West while I should be doing homework? I think, yes.

Walls are nice. I like the way they... hold stuff up.

Oh! Oh! I'm almost done with a short fic called "Peggy Hill Dies" (or maybe "The Death of Peggy Hill," I haven't decided yet), a fanfic for a show called King of the Hill. It's going to be around 1500 words, and I'm getting a kick out of killing off an incredibly stupid character. I've also joined a creative writing club, so it'll actually get edited before I post it. I'll definitely post it on FanFiction.net, and might post it here.

I also have a poem I might post. It's called "The Emo Poem". It is, by most accounts, hilarious.

Oh, and I have a new addiction. Reading fanfiction. It's just so awesome, and free. And for someone who reads as fast and prolifically as I do, it's extremely convenient. There's all these awesome stories right at the tips of my fingers, and I can just read and read and read and never stop. Well. Sometimes I sleep. But whatever.

And now I think this is long enough to save my life. Good day. And I will post later, probably within two months.

Columbine by Dave Cullen

Columbine by Dave Cullen is, as you might expect, about the tragic shooting at Columbine High School in 1999. It's non-fiction account detailing the attack, its aftermath and the events leading up to it. It was written by a journalist, so it's in the pyramid format - most important information presented first and formost, everything else arranged after.

After reading this book, I found I had to give it two different scores. One for emotional impact, and one for the technical aspects and prose.

For the emotional impact, I give it a 4/5 stars. The events and emotions involved were related skillfully, but it was done by a journalist. As a journalist, Cullen is trained to present the facts in an impartial and fair manner. He purposely wrote himself out of the narrative and maintained professional distance in the writing. The story was conveyed with compassion, humanity, and skill, but the emotional distance required to render the story impartially took away some of the impact he could have given it from being an on-the-scene reporter at the time of the attack. I feel its a balance he struck well, though, and the impact was still impressive.

For technical aspects and prose, I rate it 5/5 stars. Cullen has spent ten years researching the attack, and was one of the first reporters on the scene at the time of the attack. His prose is clear and concise, and maintains interest and compassion. There were no grammatical errors that I noticed. The notes at the end of the book, and the bibliography, are especially revealing. The amount of effort and skill put into this book is apparent and inspiring.

I definitely reccomend this book to others, especially those looking to find out what really happened at Columbine, who the perpetrators really were, and the lasting impact it has had on the community. I found the section on psychopaths especially revealing.

Blargh.

I missed posting yesterday, which I feel kind of bad about, but I feel I have a legitimate excuse. See, my laptop has contracted this weird virus that means I definitely can't use it for the internet, and it's annoying to use it for anything else. It'll be at least a couple of weeks until I can figure something out and get it fixed, if I can. And I spent half of yesterday trying to figure out what the hell was going wrong with it, and the other half working on my summer homework. So there. Not my fault. :P

Anyways, I had a bit of a scare today. Remember how on Tuesday I didn't post much of anything because I was sick? Well, I'm not really 'sick' with anything, but my allergies are being a complete bitch. My forehead feels like it's caught in a vise half the time, my throat feels weird, one of my ears is stuffy, and my nose is runny and blocked up. And today I've been having trouble breathing. I mean, I was having trouble breathing before, what with all the mucus in my airway and all, but now I just can't seem to get enough air every time I breathe. It's like a constant mini asthma attack. I talked to my dad, and he says the same thing happens to him with his seasonal allergies. He also gave me an inhaler in case it gets worse.

Frankly, it gave me a mini freak out not being able to breathe like I'm supposed to. I feel better now that I've sort of gotten used to it, and I think it's gotten a little better, but it's still unnerving. I hope it stops soon.

God, I hate allergies. I hate summer. Blargh.

Anyways, I'm going to go finish Columbine (by David Cullen) for my homework. I might post a review when I'm done with it.

Ta.

I am sick.

So today we will discuss things that make me happy. Such as tea.

Mmm. Tea.

And puppies.

Mmm. Puppies.

And let's just throw in a unicorn for good measure.

Well, I don't know about you, but I feel better.

And now off to drink tea and work on my summer homework.

Ta.

I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven

My father is an English teacher, and he reads books (shocking, I know). Sometimes he really likest the books he reads, and so he makes me read them too. For my own good. Sometimes I really like them, as much as he does. Sometimes I... don't. This is one of those times.

I read this recently under the best possible circumstances (on vacation in California with a friend), so I know for a fact that my own moodiness couldn't have affected my perception of the book.

And I like the book. I do. It's just really... dense. I couldn't decide whether the prose was beautiful or frustratingly annoying, or both. It seemed I had to reread every sentence twice just to get the meaning. And while that probably says something about my own reading level, I find that I just don't care. I believe prose can be both beautiful and effortless. Fahrenheit 451, for example, took my breath away. The only reason I reread passages in it was because they were so beautiful. Not confusing or dense.

The characters, though. The characters were very well-done. And I am a sucker for a good character. Which is the biggest reason I like this book.

On the other hand, there's no plot to speak of, the prose is frustrating (though at times lovely), and the read overall is surprisingly dense for such a short book.

So I give it 3/5 stars.

It's Raining

I love the rain. I like to dance in it, and watch it fall, and listen to it as it collides with every surface. I love it.

I'm going to be doing Blog Every Day August, so this is my first post.

Unfortunately, I don't really have much to talk about, since I took a massive nap today. So this post will just be a random collection of thoughts.

I um, I read some manga today called Strawberry Marshmallow. It was cute. Though, there weren't any makeouts.

Spellcheck doesn't accept 'makeouts' as a word. Pfft.

I still haven't done my summer homework. School starts the 19th, which is about two and a half weeks. That's enough time, right? All I have to do is read a book and answer some questions intelligently. I do that all the time anyway.

I'm really looking forward to later this week, when my dad and I are doing our yearly Lord of the Rings Marathon. I can't wait to start making jokes about Frodo and Sam's 'special' relationship.

I am so done with summer. I hate the heat, and the sweat, and the sunburns that you can't seem to avoid because the sun is death.

Aaaand, that's all.

Ta.

Invisible Treehouses

First: Your daily dose of awesome in the form of INVISIBLE TREEHOUSE

Second: I met my daily writing goal and posted the next part of The Wolf Who Eats the Silver Apple on facebook. Today's writing kind of reminded me of why I love writing so much. I was just sitting there, making up an entire world and story out of my head, getting caught up in this character's story, and I had a moment where I thought,

"Shit, this is awesome."

And after this week, where trying to write felt like pulling teeth half the time... well, it was nice.

Third: I went to see Inception, which was actually amazing. I was almost expecting it to suck for all the hype it was getting. But it was just glorious, and I can't say anything more about it because it's just so twisty and complicated and awesome.

Gilroy Garlic Festival

I went to the Gilroy Garlic Festival today. "What is that?" you ask. Well, it's, uh, a garlic festival. In, um. In Gilroy. Apparently it's one of the largest food festivals in America.

While I was there, I ate a garlic steak taco (very good), got a hand-made stoneware mug (named Charles), ate half of a Minute Maid frozen lemonade (disgustingly sugary), and made my friend touch a leather top hat (hi Vicky!).

I also had the pleasure of paying five dollars to climb, then slide down, a giant blow up slide. You know those blow up bouncy castles? It was kind of like that, only much more awesome. I felt just a teensy bit silly standing in line with a bunch of six-year-olds, but it was worth it. And frankly, I firmly believe that everyone needs to to do silly things like slide down a giant blow up slide, or, I dunno, put stuff on your head.

However, as you might know, Gilroy is in California. And it is currently summer. In California. So it was freakin' hot out. And going to the garlic festival basically consisted of walking around for hours outside, in the sun, surrounded by the pungent aroma of garlic.

I don't like the heat. It makes me feel cranky, tired, and disgusting. So the festival was less awesome for being hot and crowded.

It was all worth it for Charles, though.

I've been writing...

...and the evidence of it is here:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

All of those are parts of a story I'm working on call The Wolf Who Eats the Silver Apple. My plan is for it to be in the neighborhood of 60,000 words when it's finished. I hear that's the average for YA novels.

I'll probably continue posting parts of it to facebook as I go.

I Wrote a Poem

Supernova

by Kira Gerbitz

The sun is too hot

I wish it would just go die

go supernova

Today

words at start: 4068

words at end: 4744

words written: 676

sandwiches eaten: 2

socks knit: .5

Review: Kitty Norville Books 1-5 by Carrie Vaughn

The Kitty Norville series is about a werewolf in Denver who has her own midnight radio talk show about the supernatural. Kitty can't seem to stay out of trouble, and she has many adventures.

Kitty and the Midnight Hour (Book 1): I really liked this book. I read a lot of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and I'm extremely fond of kick-ass chicks. While Kitty doesn't have twelve different mystical powers or a half-vampire/half-weresquid lover, and she can't bench-press small buildings, she is definitely kick-ass. For the past few years, she's been at the bottom of her pack's hierarchy. She's been regularly abused, both emotionally, physically, and sexually. She's stayed, because a wolf without a pack is no one, and has no one to rely on. But times are changing, and Kitty's growing up. She starts her own radio talk show, starts making more and more decisions about her life, and finally allows herself to be independent. She starts standing up for herself in her pack, even to her Alpha. And I have to say that that took real balls, considering he was the one to abuse her the most.  Throughout the book, she fights for her right to be herself and have her own life. She's so kick-ass. (4/5 stars)

Kitty Goes to Washington (Book 2): This was a book of really great characters (sexy brazilian dude, awesome victorian vampire lady, etc.), and dragging plot. I skipped an entire section in the middle, and I didn't miss anything, so there you go. It was interesting, and Kitty is her awesome self, but I didn't like it as much as book one. (3/5 stars)

Kitty Takes a Holiday (Book 3): Kitty goes on vacation in the mountains for a little R&R, but of course that doesn't work out for her. There's so much in this book I want to squeal in happiness about, and rave about, but it's all SPOILERS, so I can't. Just, know that the characters are awesome as always, and I got frustrated with the pacing (again). (3/5 stars)

Kitty and the Silver Bullet (Book 4): DUDE. This book has so much going for it. I loved the action-y bits, and all the bits with Ben in them, and especially the part where Kitty finally gets back at some assholes I've been waiting books to see go down in flames. It's probably my favorite Kitty book I've read so far. (4/5 stars)

Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand (Book 5): Kitty goes to Vegas, to shoot a live TV version of her show, as well as some other reasons. We meet some of my favorite supporting characters in this series (let's just say they wear leather and are in town for a gun show). My favorite bits are, again, the bits with Ben in them. Have I mentioned how much I love the characters in this series? They're so well-done. And Kitty gets to spend time in a harem (there were columns, and well-tanned men fawning over her)! (3/5 stars)

I'm looking forward to reading the other Kitty books, as well as Carrie Vaughn's other work.

Ciao.

Easter and Tingles

• "Whatever hour it is, it is too early for me to be awake." (11:45 a.m.)
• "The short people in my house are freaking the frak out for no apparent reason and also I have no eardrums because they have melted. Also I want coffee. Good morning, World!" (12:50)
• "What was that, mother? You wish me to function? Ha. Ha, I say. I have not even found the apricot jam this morning, and I am sans coffee. I spit on your dreams of a coherent daughter." (12:55)
• "I HAVE NOW ORGANIZED EASTER. You are welcome, family. Let us now hide the not-fetuses in a festive manner."
• "Wait, how many eggs did we start with? Sister dearest, do you know how many eggs there are? No? Brother, dear, stop chortling at our 'amateur mistakes'. When we find the missing rotten egg in two weeks, it will be in your face that I will SMASH it."
• "OMG I LUVS ME SOME WARM BLOODY MEAT. STEAKS FOREVAR."
• "Oh no, my parents have given me a GINORMOUS BASKET full of delicious things. They are the worst people in the world." *noms on chocolate bunny* 
  

That's pretty much how the first part of my Easter went. Also I had many debates with my father on the pagan fertility origins of Easter. Which was fun.

Then, I did some other stuff that was less exciting, including reading (remind me to post my reviews for books 1-5 of the Kitty Norville series) and the aforementioned bunny-nomming.

I then managed to write more than 700 words, which I am very happy about. Normally I clock in about 250-500 words in a day, less if I have other things planned. So, yeah, happy.

Ta.

Oh, So That's How That Works

Item #1: If I write, I won't feel so twitchy. (Shutupshutupshutup I know I keep having to figure this out, shutup.)

Item #2: There's, like, this thing called eating, and it's where you like put this thing called food into your tummy. It's all very newfangled. I've never heard of it before.

Item #3: If one were to, say, get up and move around, it would considerably tire one out. Especially compared to sitting on one's bottom all the time.

*cough*

Not that any of these items have anything to do with my day today. None whatsoever. *shiftyeyes*

Imaginary Conversation with Myself

Me: Hey self. You know how I've been kind of twitchy and irritable lately?

Self: Uh, yeah.

Me: Well, I kinda spent most of today writing.

Self: Yeah?

Me: Yeah. And... and I feel much better. Like, a whole lot better.

Self: Really.

Me: Yeah. I'm a little surprised. I totally did not see that one coming.

Self: Me either.

*silence*

Me: Well, uh, I'd better get going. Books to read, hot cocoa to drink, all that. 

Self: You do that.

Me: Um, well, bye. [leaves]

Self: Bye. [waits]

Thank god she's gone. Where'd I put the whisky? You'd think we were a bloody idiot, the way she carries on. [shakes head sadly]

Coraline Graphic Novel by Neil Gaiman & P. Craig Russell

8/10 stars.

I love Coraline, so reading it again was fun. This graphic novel closely followed the book, which was nice. But I didn't feel like the art style matched the story, really. P. Craig Russell's art is very clean, detailed, and specific. Coraline, and Neil Gaiman's stories in general, tend to have a dreamlike quality to them. You're not really sure of anything, but the logic within it makes sense in its own way. The two styles didn't really mesh well for me. However, I really like Russell's rendition of the Other Mother and Mr. Bobo the crazy man upstairs.

Overall, it was good. I may quibble about the art, but reading Coraline in this form was still delightful.

Fun with Words

So the title of this post is a bit of a lie. I have not been having fun with words, much to my detriment. I have been busy catching up on work I missed from when I was sick with strep (or something, I never did find out). I have also been taking TESTS, which are very stressful, VERY IMPORTANT, and also very boring (which is contradictory but there you go).

So the whole point of this is that I have not been writing. I am also very twitchy, and I have not been sleeping well. These last two things definitely relate to each other, and most likely relate to the first.

I WANT TO WRITE. I am at a really funny scene where the main character is very high (not on drugs, because she's a bit of a stick in the mud), and she's decided she must dance. I really want to finish this scene, because it is hilarious and also furthers the plot, both of which are good. Also I just need to write. Have I mentioned I'm twitchy?

The upside to all the twitchy and the sleep deprivation is that I've been getting some good reading and knitting done. I'm reading Broken by Kelley Armstrong. I love Armstrong's books - they're so well-crafted, funny, and the characters are not just floppy cardboard messes. I may or may not post a review when I'm done with it. It depends on whether I can get some sleep.

Ciao.

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

7/10 stars. 

I absolutely adore Irial - he's such a well-drawn, fascinating, compelling, and sympathetic character. I really, really wanted Keenan to get a deserving and wicked punishment for all the disgusting manipulation and other various actions he committed, but he didn't. Maybe that punishment will come in later books, but I want it now. Or perhaps Keenan was meant to be a sympathetic character as well, though I doubt it. Anyway, I just want him to get his. 

I also felt that Marr, when writing about Leslie's choices and her way of making them, went the blunter route instead of a smoother, more delicate approach. I applaud her for facing Leslie's issues head-on and giving real insight into what exactly those issues were and how they were dealt with, but I wanted her to be a little less obvious. It almost felt preach-y, which dismayed me.

I admire Marr's ability to make me completely disgusted with Keenan. I already liked him after having read Wicked Lovely, yet the actions he made that made me hate him were completely believable for his character. The fact that he didn't get some form of tangible punishment in this story was disappointing as a reader, and dimmed my happy glow from reading.

I vacillated between admiring and cheering for Aislinn, and wishing she'd do a little more than just cry sun-drenched tears. I grinned a lot when I read about her being the strong and capable character I met in Wicked Lovely, but rolled my eyes quite a bit at some of her actions. Her not sitting Leslie down and having a serious talk about faeries seemed a bit forced and more a function of plot than her character. I wanted the circumstances surrounding her appearances in the book to be less contrived and more believable.

I fell for Seth all over again in Ink Exchange. I wanted more of him, though I understood it wouldn't have made sense for the story. *sigh*

Unfortunately, I don't really have much to say for Niall. As a main character, he just isn't very memorable for me. Where I devoured the pages where Irial appeared, Niall left me feeling just... meh. 

I'm left feeling as if Ink Exchange needs more length, and that maybe that would give it the meat it needs to go from good to great.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed reading Ink Exchange. I found the characters interesting, the writing fluid, and the plot well-paced. It's on my wish list, and I plan on re-reading it in the future.