Fall is my absolute FAVORITE season! It's my favorite kind of weather AND it's the start of the holiday season. I love when the leaves change colors, the outside changes to jacket-weather, the cool air smells of firewood, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner.
To celebrate the fabulous fun of fall, I took a trip to the Poconos a couple weeks ago to take in some beautiful scenery... so I thought I'd share lots-o'-pictures of one of my favorite spots that I visited.
It's November 4th! Do you know what that means?!? It's exactly five months to the day of the release of The Lipstick Laws, due out on April 4th! Woohoo! To help me count down and celebrate all things lipsticky, I've decided to do a recurring Lipstick Lowdown post on the 4th of every month up until my book hits the shelves.
What's Lipstick Lowdown, you ask? It's a quick post with a random tip, an interesting fact, fun quote, or some other lipstick-related info that may come in handy if you ever want to impress anyone with your remarkable lipstick knowledge... which, come to think of it, isn't super likely...but just humor me here.
LIPSTICK LOWDOWN #1 Did you know...
You can expect to get around 5 hours of color from one application of long-wear lipstick before having to reapply.
You should get a total of 1,325 hours per long-wear lipstick tube.
AND...
If you wear lipstick regularly, your long-wear tube should last six months to a year.
As trick-or-treating is winding down in my neighborhood, it looks like I'm going to be left with A LOT of candy...and I'm not just talking about the snack size candy... I'm talking about lots of full size candy bars:
That's right, I'm one of the full size candy bar giver-outers -- the same candy goldmines I dreamed about finding on Halloween as a kid. And I think it's super fun to pass on my full-size-candy-bar-house dreams to other kids now.
Are there any Halloween traditions/fun memories that you've continued through the years?
Before I go, I want to send a BIG thank you shout-out to Jen, the awesome blogger/writer @ Unedited! She went on a scavenger hunt to track down my Hallmark Halloween card in her hometown... not only did she find it & buy one, she sent me these FABULOUS pictures below! Thanks, Jen! You're awesome!!
We're getting closer to Halloween, a frightfully fabulous holiday (if I do say so myself)... and in turn we're in store for scary movies popping up all over the place. Not only does this mean that a bunch of new scary movies will be played in theaters and on cable, but it also means that at least 937,405 hilariously cheesy sequels and remakes will also push their way into the scary movie universe. To honor the inevitable cheese-fest, I'd like to share this video:
So now I'm curious... what's your favorite scary movie?
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a huge dog lover... always have been, always will be. So I feel compelled to share this incredible video of an amazing dog who has more rhythm than Shakira on steroids. I predict a spot on Dancing With the Stars is in this dog's future... not sure if she'd be the star or the pro dancer, watch and decide for yourself. :)
I'm usually impressed when my dog gives me a high five... but after watching this, I think we need to step up our act.
I don't typically watch America's Got Talent, but I happened to catch a snippet of it this week when Jimmy Fallon made a guest appearance and did a compilation of comedian impressions. Considering my best impression is of a napping mute, his talent impressed me and cracked me up. I think he's dead-on with most of these, what do you think?
*Impressions start 1 min. in*
My personal favorite was Adam Sandler, but then again, I LURRRRVE Adam Sandler...so perhaps I'm biased. Do you agree that he saved the best for last?
You can catch more of Jimmy tonight while he's hosting the Emmy Awards (Yay for Glee!).
*Please don't forget, this is the last day to enter for a chance to win a signed copy of FAITHFUL by Janet Fox. All you have to do to enter the drawing is read Janet's interview below & comment. The winner will be announced tomorrow!*
"If you can dream it, you can do it" - Walt Disney
I love this quote; it's one of my favorites. And I never realized just how true it is until I read this cool-beans ARTICLE about wealth-magnets accruing fortunes from real snoozetastic DREAMS. That's right, you heard it here first (or second, depending on if you've already read the article in question) -- If you DREAM it, you really CAN do it... and make boatloads of moolah while you're at it!
By this point, you'd have to be living under a partially unearthed rock not to have heard the story about Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series coming to fruition from a dream. (For all you living under those partially unearthed rocks, I'm sure your homes are lovely...and I'm very impressed that you get an internet connection underground). So Stephenie's dream that started it all is old (albeit fascinating) news, I know. BUT, did you know that James Cameron got the idea for Avatar from a dream? Or that the legendary Paul McCartney came up with the song Yesterday while in a dream-state? Or how about the Declaration of Independence? Yep, I'm declaring that it might be thanks to a snorefest. Cool, right?
This is precisely why I think we should wear pajamas to work/school...and snooze every time we're supposed to come up with a good idea. We should start a snoozing revolution... and soon we'll be sleeping on wads of cash. Who's with me?
If you're not fully on the pajama bandwagon, you could always wear these pajama jeans. That way, only you will know you're snooze-ready:
I've decided to take a break from my WIP to comment on a topic that can no longer be ignored...
If it's cold enough for socks, it's too cold for sandals. If it's warm enough for sandals, it's too flippin' warm for socks. It seems practical, right? Alas, my friends, practicality is underappreciated these days.
During the summer, the inevitability of seeing socks and sandals in the wild increases tenfold. The natural habitat of socks and sandals typically consists of campgrounds, gas stations, and some of these endangered fashion species can even be spotted in your very own neighborhood while mowing the lawn. But thanks (or no thanks) to some fashion "trendsetters", this wild, contradictory fashion species is being torn from its natural habitat, tamed, and displayed on the runway as a 2010 fashion trend. Yes... I said runway. If you don't believe me, check out this ARTICLE or THIS ONE. What in the name of holey socks is going on, you ask? Join the confused club.
What are your thoughts? Are socks and sandals a cool new trend or a tacky fashion flop? If you're with me or against me on the anti-socks/sandals front, I beg you to voice your opinion below. Important issues like this should be discussed.
And if you can't get enough of the socks and sandals extravaganza, you'll go gaga over this SOCKERIFIC SITE.
As I wait for my own author site to make its debut (I promise, it's coming...), I'd love to share some other great new sites for your cyber stalking pleasure:
First, if you're a fellow writer/author, you'll want to check out the new book tour site called The Teen Book Scene, created by book blogging extraordinaires Kari (from A Good Addiction) and Kelsey (from The Book Scout). Not only are these girls awesome, they've mastered the art of online book tours and author promotion. If you're looking for a free way to help promote your (YA or MG) book, be sure to contact them to set up a tour!
In author news, Carrie Harris just launched her fantastically freaky WEBSITE. Check it out for yourself to get in on all the monster mania. If you sign up for her NEWSLETTER, you'll be entered for a chance to win an ARC of Bad Taste in Boys & a poster of the very cool homepage illustration... and who in their right mind wouldn't want a poster of a monster prom? That's prime dining room art right there.
But the author news doesn't stop there... Gae Polisner , another fellow 2k11er, also launched her fabulous AUTHOR SITE not too long ago. Check it out for the inside scoop on The Pull of Gravity (her 2011 YA debut) and her other writing endeavors.
Finally, have you ever wondered which famous writer your writing compares to? Take this fun QUIZ to find out. Word on the street is that it's had over 100,000 hits in a single day. Sounds like a lot of people are curious to see what their own writing stacks up to. And yes, I admit I took the quiz... several times. I got a different answer with each entry, ranging from Chuck Palahniuk to James Joyce. Not sure if that means the quiz isn't accurate or my writing has multiple personalities (or maybe both?), but it's a fun experiment nevertheless. If you try it, be sure to tell me which writer you get.
**Come back this Friday for an author interview & signed book giveaway with Kristin Walker**
So, I've been a little MIA lately... mainly because I'm in limbo. No, I'm not doing the "Limbo" as the above picture and title might suggest. As much as I wish those Stayin' Alive-esque 70s bell-bottoms and matching top were mine, alas, they're not. I'm in limbo. That's right, I'm waiting in the in-between. Waiting for what, you ask? Well, the word on the street is that my cover art is being tweaked. If you're crying out, "For the love of all things holy, WHY???"... you're not alone. I'm disappointed too, but apparently it's going to be very similar to my first cover. Which is good. This whole cover switch-up just goes to show that the publishing industry is filled with ups and downs and twists and turns. Just when you think you know where the ride is taking you, it veers off in a different direction. I'm just thankful that I'm tall enough to ride the publishing roller-coaster... and that I have a safety harness.
Anyway, I've been on hold waiting for my tweaked cover to both blog about and to launch my website to the world. Since I haven't gotten El Newcover yet, I decided that I can't hold off any longer; I must blog. So today, I thought I'd share another author's fantastic cover news. The super funny and fantastic Carrie Harris has just revealed her cover art for BAD TASTE IN BOYS (summer 2011) to the world. Check out its awesomeness on her blog HERE. Can we say ooh-la-la?!
In the meantime, I should have some book news or other fun stuff to share with you all soon! :)
I admit, I'm a bit of an American Idol junkie and am really looking forward to tomorrow's showdown...especially since my two favorites from the beginning have made it to the final two. Even though I love Crystal and will be happy if she wins, I'm rooting for Lee. My favoritism swiftly swayed to his side after this amazing performance:
Not only is he ADORABLE, the boy can SINGGGG.
Do you watch American Idol? If so, are you rooting for Crystal or Lee to win?
On a sidenote, if you're wondering why my blog background is plain white now, it's because it's getting ready for its magical transition to match my author website. Both my new and improved blog plus my author site will be debuting soon. Yay!
Most people have heard of Christmas in July, right? Well, I think it's about time for people to start celebrating Halloween in May. In fact, I'm going to start that tradition by celebrating Halloween this week... heck, I might even celebrate it this whole month.
Why, you ask? Is loving Halloween not a good enough answer? I mean, c'mon people, do I look like someone with an ulterior motive? Okay, you caught me. The truth is I won the "Scare up Some Fun" Hallmark Halloween greeting card competition and my winning card is for sale at Hallmark.com right now. If you're feeling Halloweenie (no inappropriate side comments, please), go ahead and take a look at the winning cards HERE (there are 23 fabu winners total)... and if you're feeling especially Halloweenie, go ahead and order some of your favorites to send this coming Halloween. For anyone who would like to buy my specific card with my not so Halloweenie smiling picture on the back, the direct link is HERE.
Thanks and I hope you all have a BOOtiful day. *Insert groan and eye roll here.*
If you haven't already, check out and enter the current signed book giveaway with Eileen Cook on my blog HERE. Last day to enter is May 9th. The lucky winner will be announced on May 10th.
Did you miss me? Because I missed you... each and every one of you. I feel like we have a lot of catching up to do.
"Soooo....what is up? What's the 411? What has everybody been up to? What's the hot gossip? Tell me everything. What have you guys been listening to? What are the cool jams?"
The first person to tell me what movie and character this above quote is from will get an extra entry (if you choose to participate) in my upcoming contest. Yes, I DID say contest! You didn't think I was lying when I told you all I was planning a contest for April, did you? Well, shame on you if you did! Check back Tuesday, the 20th, for my first official contest. You must be a follower of my blog to enter... and you must love cheese. Okay, cheese actually has nothing to do with it, but I thought it would sound more "official-like" with two entry rules. More to come...
On the author front, my fabulous web designer, Denise Biondo, is working on my website drafts as we speak... er, type. Sometime soon my author website will be up and this blog will be one of its internal pages. If you're one of those types who's not fond of change, I'm warning you now that my blog template WILL BE CHANGING (the horror!) when my full website is up and running. Hence I may not be able to post all the various blog awards you've given me anymore (thank you for the awards!!). That said, I have several more awards that I want to acknowledge and post now, but I won't be passing any more on because there are too many great blogs to choose from, and to be honest, figuring out who doesn't already have the awards I want to pass along makes my eyes cross. For the love of uncrossed eyes, I hope you all understand. If, however, you want any of my awards, let me know, and I'll be happy to pass them along to you.
Without further ado, I shall acknowledge the awards now...
I'M SENDING BIG THANKS TO:
Medeia Sharif for the Awesomesauce Award and the Super Comments Award! Medeia also tagged me in a fun Q&A blog post which I will be participating in and posting at some point in the future...
Claire had to invent a fictional fact about each person she chose to pass the Soulmates Award onto. Since I won't be passing it along, I thought I'd at least share the awesome fact Claire invented about me: Amy Holder's the current Chocolate Diving Champion of Pennsylvania. To win this title she dove into 6 feet of chocolates to retrieve a teddy bear, with a time of 15.26 seconds. Hahahaha! I love it!
Thanks again to all the wonderful bloggers who've passed along blog awards to me!
Make sure to come back on Tuesday to check out and participate in my contest!
Happy spring! I have limited internet access this week, so if I'm MIA from commenting on all of your fabulous blogs, you'll know why. I want to take a minute to share some fun news and links before I disappear into the abyss for the week.
First, Carrie Harris (my friend and fellow 2011 debut author) announced the new title of her much anticipated YA zombie comedy this past weekend. The book was previously called NO PAIN, NO BRAIN, but has since been switched to (drum roll): BAD TASTE IN BOYS. How fantastic is that?! I LURRRRVE it! If you feel the same way, check out Carrie's official announcement .
If you're still looking for laughs after reading some of Carrie's laugh-out-loud blog, take a look at this blog post comparing rejection letters to dating by Shelli at Market My Words. The analogy is funny, clever and so true!
In other news, there's a great new YA book blogger (Voracious YAppetite) who hosted a Women of YA Tribute on her blog last month. Make sure to check it out if you haven't already. Eleni at La Femme Readers did a Q&A for the tribute and gave me a shout-out. Thanks, Eleni!!!
Finally, I'm excited to announce that the KidLit Authors Club (which I'm a member of) will be holding their first in-person events this month. There will be authors, books, balloons and party bags! If you live in the NJ, PA, DE or MD areas, don't miss out on the fun! Although I won't be at these April events, there are many more to come that I can't wait to be a part of! You can find more information at the KidLit Authors Club Blog , Website and Twitter.
Here is a list of events scheduled so far: Big Blue Marble Bookstore, Mt. Airy, PA, April 10 Barnes & Noble, Wilmington, DE, April 14 Barnes & Noble, Moorestown, NJ, April 15 Barnes & Noble, Rittenhouse Sq, Phila, PA, April 17 Barnes & Noble, E. Brunswick, NJ, April 20 Barnes & Noble, Deptford, NJ, May 2 Sparta Books, Sparta, NJ, May 22 Barnes & Noble, Howell, NJ, June 2 N. Wildwood Beach Writers Conference, N. Wildwood, NJ, June 8-9
I'll be back with more fun stuff (and maybe a contest) soon. In the meantime, I hope you're all enjoying beautiful spring weather (I know I am)!
Look Forward to: I have something up my sleeve for next week. Check back on Monday and you might be inspired. Also, stay tuned for my first contest sometime in April.
Cheer about: As promised in a previous post, I'm passing on a few blog awards to ELEVEN bloggers (to pay homage to my 2011 pub date).
Okay, maybe you can handle the truth, but the title seems so much more interesting with a Jack Nicholson quote, don't you think? Anyhow, it's time for me to come clean with my slick-von-trickster antics from the truth/lies game in my previous post. Thanks to everyone who played along... now it's time to see if any of your guesses were right:
1) I'm allergic to chocolate, but love it so much that I'll deal with the hives in order to eat it.
FALSE! I'd definitely suffer from a permanent case of hives if I had a chocolate allergy!
2) I own a show dog who has won two state championships.
FALSE! My pups are beauteous in my eyes, but neither one is a show dog. I adopted one of my dogs right before she was scheduled to be put to sleep at the pound. My other dog is half blind and was rescued from a puppy mill situation.
3) I was spat on by a llama when I was five.
FALSE! I've never been spit on by a llama because I'm the llama whisperer... referenced in the photo below. My sister has been spit on by llamas countless times though...which makes this story all the more hilarious.
4) I had an eyebrow ring when I was 18, and now I have trouble plucking that eyebrow without sneezing.
TRUE! Believe it or not, in a fit of teenage rebellion, I shocked my parents to bits by getting an eyebrow ring on my 18th birthday. I kept the piercing for a year, but will forever have to deal with the havoc it caused on my eyebrow nerves. Plucking my right eyebrow usually leads to sneezing nowadays.
5) I graduated high school a year early...but then I took the five year plan to graduate college... so it evened out in the end.
FALSE! I graduated high school on time. And I took the four and a half year plan to graduate college... it was just too much fun not to stay an extra semester.
6) I've never flown on a plane and never plan to if I can avoid it.
FALSE! I've flown on many planes over my lifetime. My most recent plane ride was to Dallas, and the time before that I went to Costa Rica.
7) I lived in Chicago for a few years and had the pleasure of meeting Oprah.
FALSE! Although I did live in the Chicago area for a while, I never met Oprah.
Thanks again to everyone who played along. Congratulations to Tahereh for guessing correctly!
Also, I'd like to extend a huge thank you to Nicole over at One Significant Moment at a Time for giving me the prolific blogger award! Please go check out and follow her awesome blog!
Stay tuned for a future post to see which bloggers I pass these fab awards on to...
I was honored to receive the creative writer (AKA - bold faced liar) blog award from Medeia Sharif, a fellow writer and debut author. Her YA debut, THE BESTEST RAMADAN EVER, is being published by Flux in 2011. Check out her fabulous blog here.
I was so excited to get this award because I've been secretly wanting to play the truth/lies game that goes along with it. The point of the game is to list six lies and one truth, and then you (yes, I'm talking to you) have to guess which one is the true statement. PS: I am a horrible liar in person...but maybe on paper (or blog background) I can be slick-von-trickster.
Which one is my truth?
1) I'm allergic to chocolate, but love it so much that I'll deal with the hives in order to eat it.
2) I own a show dog who has won two state championships.
3) I was spat on by a llama when I was five.
4) I had an eyebrow ring when I was 18, and now I have trouble plucking that eyebrow without sneezing.
5) I graduated high school a year early...but then I took the five year plan to graduate college... so it evened out in the end.
6) I've never flown on a plane and never plan to if I can avoid it.
7) I lived in Chicago for a few years and had the pleasure of meeting Oprah.
Please-oh-please play along by leaving me a comment with your best guess. Check back in a few days for the truth and nothing but the truth!
In other randomness, I handed in my acks 'n ded (acknowledgements and dedication) for my book after re-writing them 937 times - hooray! I decided to go with the less is more concept to avoid being too long winded. Because of this, my hair straightening iron will be very upset that I left her out... therefore I'm acknowledging her here: Dear Chi Straightening Iron, thank you for straightening my hair with such precision. Without you, my hair would be frizzy and unmanageable...and how would I be able to write in that condition? The short answer is, I wouldn't.
Finally, in honor of St. Patty's Day tomorrow and my partial Irish heritage, I'd like to leave you with two of my favorite Irish sayings:
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
I'm the author of THE LIPSTICK LAWS, a young adult novel published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on April 4, 2011. I'm repped by Sarah Davies of Greenhouse Literary Agency.
