I is for Indian Summer, I-Carly, Inkheart, Irene Brighton, Incubus

Movie:

So I went a little different on the "I" movie today.  The movie actually stars adults who remember back to the time when they were all in summer camp together. (Insert teenage actors here)  The movie is called Indian Summer and came out in the early 90's. So twenty years after a group of adolescent teenagers go to a summer camp in Ontario they are called back for a reunion by the old camp director, Uncle Lou.  The movie switches back and forth between the memories they shared in the camp to their adult lives today.  The movie is mainly about the relationships they all share.  How love can form again after all those years apart, or how it can fall apart just as easily.  While there the camp-goers find out that the camp is going to close and soon they are being faced with the reality of losing the one place where they all felt like they belonged.  The movie is funny and I really like the cast of characters. Elizabeth Perkins, Diane Lane, Bill Paxton just to name a few. But the other thing I really enjoy about this movie is the realistic emotions they all express.  The actors did a great job handling the difficult scenes, and they all seemed genuinely real. If you like cute, romantic, and funny movies then you may want to see Indian Summer.

Television:

So call me a kid at heart but I really enjoy watching some of the shows on the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon that my kids watch. One in particular I enjoyed was I-Carly.  I-Carly about three kids Carly, Sam, and Freddy three friends who run a t.v. web show called I-Carly. (Go Figure) Sam and Carly are goofy teenage girls who spend most of their time in front of the camera. They do everything from pulling pranks on their idiot concierge Lubert, to random dancing.  They've had lots of guest stars on the show, One Direction made an appearance. (Girl Screams) I think the best part of the show is Sam.  Sam is the kind of person that she is better off being your friend, then an enemy. Sam is a street-wise, bad girl, with a horrible attitude, bottomless stomach, and wields a butter sock! (Yes I did say butter sock)  Carly is the goody-two-shoes, she doesn't like getting into trouble and acts like Sam's conscience. Freddy is the one Sam always picks on.  He is a geeky, teenage boy who is good with electronics and a/v equipment, he has a big crush on Carly, but also dates Sam in the show. There are also two other crazy characters, Spencer, Carly's older brother who likes to create sculptures that usually catch fire.  And Gibby the weird kid who always goes around not wearing a shirt.  He lets Sam and Carly pretty much do anything to him. I-Carly  was a cute show and one of the only ones I let my kids watch. 

Book:

So "I" was another letter where I haven't read a book. (That's a lie I actually just finished reading Insurgent, but since I already did Divergent for D, I wanted to take a different route) One book I really want to read is Inkheart.  I love fantasy type stories. Inkheart is a book written by Cornelia Funke.  The book is about a 12 year old girl named Meggie who lives with her father Mortimer that is a book binder.  Mortimer has a special gift, that when he reads aloud from a book the characters come to life.  Mortimer hides this power from his daughter and one day while reading aloud from a book called Inkheart a villain named Capricorn, his aide Basta and a fire breather named Dustfinger magically appear from the book.  Years later Capricorn vows to destroy every copy of Inkheart and use Mortimer's gift for evil.  Inkheart looks like a wonderful book.  It is definitely on my to-read list. This book was also made into a movie starring Brenden Frasier.

My Book:

Irene Brighton is Dillon's mother.  She is an alcoholic, trophy wife who spends her days lying on the couch spending her husbands money and drinking away her problems. At first Irene is portrayed as a wonderful character.  She invites Genevieve into her home and is thrilled to have her there because Dillon is doing so well in English class with the help of Genevieve's tutoring.  Irene's true colors come out when the plot thickens between Genevieve and Dillon.  When Irene finds out that Dillon is dating Genevieve, she turns into an obnoxious, stuck-up, hoity-toity rich bitch.  She tells Genevieve that she is just hired help that isn't fit to date her son.  I wanted Irene's character to be the stereotypical trophy wife.  The wife that was married for her looks, neglected as she ages, and drinks to hide her depression.  Though she treats Genevieve like crap the one redeeming quality for Irene is her love for Dillon. She adores her son, and would do anything to protect him.

What's For Dinner:

Song of the Day:

Incubus - Drive

H is for Hunger Games, Home Improvement, Holes, Miss Harper, Hilary Duff.

Movie:

So H was kind of hard to pick a movie for.  I had a toss up between the 80's lover in me and the post-apocalyptic lover in me.   The apocalyptic side one!  Only the strongest will survive after all!  (By the way Heathers was the movie for the 80's easily as morbid and now that I think about it both movies involve kids killing kids. Go figure!) I decided to do the movie the Hunger Games.  Suzanne Collins wrote the books, and I fell in love with them. When the movie came out I couldn't wait to go see it.  Sometimes though, well . . . more often then not the movie is never as good as the book.  I didn't feel this way towards the Hunger Games.  I thought that the director did an amazing job bringing Katniss Everdeen to life and showing the world of the Hunger Games as it should be done. The only thing I was mildly disappointed about was the fact the dogs in the end didn't have the dead tributes eyes like they were supposed to. Other then that I really enjoyed the movie, and plan on seeing all the rest. Catching Fire was amazing as well! But a quick synopsis of the movie.  Katniss is a girl who lives in a post-apocalyptic era where the worlds is split up into twelve districts.  Each district has a different kind of commodity it supplies the Capital which is run by President Snow. (played by Donald Sutherland) Katniss lives in District 12 with her mother and sister, and is best friends with a boy named Gale.  Every year one boy and one girl from ages 12-18 are picked randomly to go into the Hunger Games, an entertainment event where 24 kids are thrown into an arena and fight to the death.  When Katniss's sister Prim gets chosen her very first year Katniss volunteers to go in her place.  (Did I mention she is an amazing archer?) Then the boy picked is named Peeta Mellark, the bakers son.  Soon Peeta and Katniss join forces so they can survive the Hunger Games together, and a romance is formed.  But is it real?  So if you love the books but haven't seen the movie, rent it or buy it!  It's really well done.
 

 

Television:  

So there weren't many teen t.v. shows that really spoke to me.  I finally chose Home Improvement.  Which isn't really about the kids, it's more about Tim Allen's character being a bumbling idiot when it comes to life but managing to keep his family together regardless. He's also hysterically accident prone.  I really like the show because I thought the dynamic between him and his wife Jill was extremely funny.  I also liked his relationship with Wilson the neighbor you never see anything of but the top of his head, and  Al his side-kick on the home improvement show he stars in.  Jill and Tim have three boys that you get to watch grow up throughout the show.  Randy, Mark and Brad, of course like any screaming teenage girl Randy played by Jonathan Taylor Thomas was always my favorite boy.  The show was really funny, and it lasted eight seasons before finally taken off air. Tim Allen now has a new show Last Man Standing in which he has three daughters instead of three sons.  Kind of cool huh?  Here watch the accident prone Tim in action.

Book:

Holes is a book written by Louis Sachar.  The book has about four different stories going on inside of it. The first story is about a boy named Stanley Yelnats who falls in love with a girl and goes to ask a fortune teller Madam Zeroni help.  She tells him that she will give him a pig that he will walk up a mountain everyday until he gets fat enough to please the girls father.  Once the pig is fat enough, and he gets the girl, Stanley was supposed to return to Madam Zeroni and carry her up the mountain to drink the water.  When the girl he loves rejects him Stanley falls back on his word to Madam Zeroni and a curse is born for the Yelnats whose blood line will forever have bad luck.  The second story is about Stanley Yelnats the 4th who is walking down the street and gets hit in the head by shoes, stolen shoes.  He ends up being sent to a prison camp where the boys are sent to dig holes all day.  He soon meets Hector Zeroni an ancestor of Madam Zeroni!  See where this is going?  Without giving away the whole story, I will stop there. Holes is an amazing book that keeps your interest and bonds you with the characters. I really enjoyed reading it and seeing the movie!. It's also a very quick and easy read.

My Book:

So I changed the last name of a character in my book to come up with an H character to introduce.  I'm still editing, so guess what? I can do stuff like that!  Penny Harper is the school nurse.  She is introduced quite a few times during the series but in Genevieve's book she only pops up once.  Penny is a short, shorter then Genevieve, African American woman in her early thirties that tries to be everyone's best friend.  She has a bubbly personality and always wears her hair in a bun on top of her head. She is very opinionated but helpful.  She is just a filler character and only has a bit part in Genevieve's book, which makes her one of those characters that can be cut if necessary.  I like Penny though because she is a child at heart, and tries her best to connect with the children she has in her infirmary on a more personal level.

What's For Dinner: Probably Leftovers.  Not quite sure yet!

Song of the Day:

Hilary Duff - Someone's Watching Over Me.

(This is by far my favorite song by Hilary Duff, and it's from the movie Raise Your Voice.)

G is for the Goonies, Glee, The Giver, Genevieve, and the Go Go's

Movie:



Goonies never say die!  And neither will this blog as I trudge on this A-Z quest.  Like the Goonies this blog always seems to be an adventure during the A-Z challenge. So what better movie is there to represent G then the Goonies, after careful consideration of a few other amazing 80's teen movies of course. (Yes I am a complete 80's movie nut!) The Goonies will always be one of my favorite movies.  I love the unique cast of quirky and loveable kids who set out on an adventure after finding a old pirate map in an attic. The Goonies are a bunch of misfits, from a fat, loveable, clumsy kid named Chunk who always seems to be getting himself into trouble, and is the master at the Truffle Shuffle. To Data, the resident inventor whose inventions never work properly.  Mouth is the fast-talking, sarcastic, antagonist whose mouth is always moving. Mikey is the wheezy leader of the group who encourages everyone to go on the quest.  Their adventure starts in an old run-down restaurant that is currently being inhabited by escaped criminals.  In order to start their quest they must slip past these baddies and get into the sewer. (Well Mikey's older brother finds them and tries to bring them home with two girl he picked up a long the way.) This is where the fun starts.  Goonies is a classic 80's film that speaks to all sorts of age groups.  It has the right amount of comedy, and story-line to keep you entertained for hours. 
The

Television:

Glee is a popular t.v. show played on Fox.  I used to be obsessed with this show when it first came out then slowly characters started disappearing from the show.  (R.I.P. Corey Moneith). Now the show seems to be pulling for viewers, and this will be it's last season from what I hear.  Anyways the show is about a glee club formed by Mr. Shoester, and is constantly opposed by Sue Sylvester, the Glee is the music.  From popular songs now playing on the radio, to the classics like Journey's Don't Stop Believing, Glee has dabbled in every music genre.  One of my favorite songs ever performed on the show was Forget You, which is originally by Ceelo but sung by Gwyneth Paltrow. I also enjoyed the Glee version of the song Mean by Taylor Swift. I wish the show didn't lose so many influential characters, now it just seems redundant and the stories are getting horrible.
opinionated Cheerleading coach whose only goal is to shut down the glee club for good. (Plot inserted here) One thing I will always love about

Book:

So I have to be honest. I didn't really have an interest in reading until recently. I decided since I want to pursue becoming a published author I better start reading stories in the genre's of the books I wan to write.  So guess what that means?  Yup you guessed it!  I haven't read a book that starts with G. In fact there are quite a few letters that will be missing a book that I have read.  So I decided the best way to rectify this situation is to pick a book in the YA/NA world that is on my to-read list.  So one of the books I'm writing, I have been told, mirrors somewhat along the lines of The Giver. Though I have never read the book it is one that I want to read for the sole fact that supposedly my story is a lot like it.  Which is funny since I haven't read it.  The Giver is about a boy who lives in a society where they have eliminated pain and strife by invoking something called Sameness.  The boy Jonas is chosen as being the receiver of memories from the Giver who he finds out is able to manipulate some of the stipulations placed in their society like turning off the speaker which listens to people's conversations.  The Giver was written by Lois Lowry in 1993and received a Newberry Medal in 1994.  The book sounds really interesting and is on my to-read list. Hopefully soon I will be able to read it.

My Book:

Finally!!! I get to introduce Genevieve my main character and the star of my YA book!  Genevieve is a very important character to me, I think it's because Genevieve was sort of written based on me. The story is purely fiction! (so no this is not a true story) But it's hard not to write characters without you putting a little of yourself in all of them. Genevieve is a slightly overweight and an extremely intelligent girl whose whole life revolves around her education.  Her dream is to get into Dartmouth, the school where her father went, and also to become Valedictorian of her high school.  Though Genevieve is only a little overweight her not-so-skinny body makes her extremely self-conscious, and over critical. She constantly puts herself down, and calls herself ugly, and fat and doesn't believe that any boy would ever be interested in her. Genevieve is naive and romantic she is always reading romance novels, and constantly daydreams about her own personal life.  The book is set around her junior and senior year and follows her along as she dabbles in the mysterious world of being in love for the very first time.  I love Genevieve as a character, she is the right mix of spunk, humility, and innocence.  She is faced with many difficult decisions throughout the book and grows so much from each one. I hope everyone falls in love with Genevieve just as much as I have!

What's For Dinner:  Crab cakes and fish sticks (for the kids)

Song of the Day.

Go Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed

F is for Ferris Bueller's Day off, Fresh Prince of Bel Aire, Flower's in the Attic, Frederick, and Five

So F was amazingly easy to figure out what to write about. I didn't have to think about it, and the ideas came so quickly that I've had my F Blog in mind for awhile. (Well maybe not the song that took a little research, but everything else was easy!)  I know my F is not following my green letter theme. (if anyone hasn't caught that yet)  but I love frogs, and frogs are green so the cute little guy above made the cut!

Movie:

If you haven't seen the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, then you were either living under a rock during the 80's and 90's,are still addicted to the pacifier and too young to read this blog, or unfortunately missing out on a nostalgic gem given to the movie world in the 80's.  Ferris is a popular teen who fakes being sick because it's such a nice day outside that he just doesn't feel like going to school.  He ropes in his girlfriend Simone, and his best friend Cameron to skip a long with him.   Ferris is such a popular kid that his absence does not go unnoticed and soon the whole school is talking about it like he was stricken with some fatal disease.  Ferris's vice-principal Mr. Rooney is the typical out-to-get-you guy who hates Ferris, because of his charismatic charm and the fact that he has been absent nine times.   When Ferris's mom calls him in sick Rooney decides to find out for sure if Ferris is really sick or not.  Ferris and his two companions do all sorts of fun things while they have their day out.  Ferris jumps in the middle of a parade and sings on a float, they wreck a very expensive car, they go to a museum.  They make the most out of their day off that's for sure.  Oh did I mention that Ferris's older sister Jeanie hates him as well and is also trying to prove to her parents that Ferris is faking being sick?  The movie is fun, light, humorous and if you're not saying BUELLER BUELLER BUELLER in a dry, unemotional voice by the end of the movie then you just didn't get it!  I highly recommend this movie to any 80's movie lover, or any person in general. Chicka Chicka, Boom OH YEAH!

Television:

Now this is a blog all about how, the channels got flipped and entertainment was turned upside down, and I would like to take a minute, just stay right there, and I'll tell you all about how I fell in love with a show called the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

In Sparks, Nevada born and raised on a couch is where I spent most of my days.  Chillin out, relaxing, not being cool, flipping though channels on the nights after school. When I found a show that I thought was so cool, I couldn't stop watching in my neighborhood, I watched it so much my mom got scared and said.  You need to go to sleep and stop watching the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Now that my horrible rapping is out of the way...

The show was about a kid played by Will Smith, who is forced to go live with his Aunt Viv and Uncle Phil in Bel Air.  Will is a street wise kid whose vibrant personality pretty much shakes up their happy mansion.  Will has three cousins who live in the house with him.  Hilary a dim-witted shop-a-holic, Carlton, a stuffy, uptight, but awesome dancer!, and Ashley a young naive little girl who grows up into a wonderful woman by the end of the show.   I loved the Fresh Prince, and any true fan can sing the theme song by memory.  I got two videos below for this one.  The famous theme song and the Carlton Dance!  If you loved the show you know exactly what I'm referring to!  ENJOY!

E is for Ender's Game, Eerie Indiana, Eclipse, Armand Etienne, Eden's Crush

Movie:

So my initial thought for the E movie was Eurotrip.  One because it's absolutely hilarious and two well it's absolutely hilarious!  But then I picked my television show and decided there was a little theme going on with the letter  E. A Sci-fi one.  So my pick for the movie is a new one that just came out in the last year Enders Game.

Enders Game was based off a book written by Orson Scott Card which unfortunately I haven't had the pleasure of reading yet. The movie on the other hand was absolutely amazing. (In my eyes)  It is about a boy named Ender who was born in a world where the mind of a child is the most precious commodity. Ender and his siblings go to an academy where children are taught and trained to use their minds for combat purposes.  Ender's sister Valentine, and brother Peter both failed to make it far in the academy, and when Ender's plug is pulled he thinks that he flunked out of it as well.  But it was all a test and he did not know that they had been studying him the whole time. The rest of the movie is Ender's struggle to move up the ranks in the academy and eventually become commander of the whole brigade.   Ender is both strong, resilient and stubborn.  These qualities make a successful leader.  He is also humble, and compassionate. Without giving too much away, Ender is put the ultimate test on graduation day when he and a bunch of misfit soldiers he accrued along the way are asked to exterminate an entire alien species during a simulation.  It is a struggle but together they manage to rid the world of the bug-like species and pass their final test. The military said that Ender had the brightest mind, and felt he would accomplish everything they needed of him.  And he did, but everything has a price even excelling above all others in order to seek approval.   I strongly recommend this movie to everyone, and I plan on reading the book soon.

Television:

I cannot express how much I used to, (and still do) love the t.v. show Eerie Indiana.   Eerie Indiana only had 19 episodes but I loved it anyways.
Eerie Indiana was about a boy named Marshall who is growing up in a town called Eerie.  He with his friend Simon by his side start to notice strange and weird things going on around his neighborhood. They dive into everything from a crazy orthodontist, to a scary Tupperware Club hiding a secret.   I think my favorite episodes are when Jason Marsden's crazy white headed character, (that looks a lot like Einstein) suddenly pops up around town.  His character has lost his memory and doesn't know exactly where he came from, so his character is named Dash X.   Dash X is easily manipulated to do evil doings, and ends up being sort of a nemesis to Marshall and Simon. If there is weird stuff going on Eerie then you know Dash X was somewhere nearby. Unfortunately I couldn't find a very good video with Dash X in it, so I have to settle for the introduction to the T.V. Show Enjoy!

Book:

Against my better judgement and only because I have read the book, Eclipse the third part of the Twilight series is what I decided to write about today.

I personally am not a fan of Stephenie Meyer's writing. I managed to get almost to the end of Eclipse before shrugging off the series altogether. Though I have watched every movie and found them more interesting than the books.  So far in my blog, I have touched base on every "bear" there is in the book world.  In other words compare writing to Goldie Locks and the Three Bears and you get... Oh my this book is just way too descriptive (like Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments) To oh no this book is not descriptive enough.  (like Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series)  And then you get the just right books such as the (Divergent series by Veronica Roth). Although I really do enjoy Stephenie Meyer's premise behind the books.  I do have one really big peeve. VAMPIRES DON'T SPARKLE DAMN IT!   Now that tantrum is over, back to the book. Eclipse is the third installment of the series, in this book a string of murders begins happening in Seattle and Edward believes that New Fledging Vampires may be to blame. They later find out that the vampires are being controlled and created by Victoria who is out for vengeance because Edward killed her lover James in the first book.  The story despite the background army of New Vampires getting ready to take over the world, is mainly more focused on the love triangle between Bella and her mystical creature lovers Jacob (the werewolf) and Edward (the sparkling vampire).  Bella ends up making her life even more complicated by kissing Jacob, because she realizes she is in love with both guys, but ultimately loves Edward more.  She agrees to marry Edward which only angers Jacob because Jacob thinks he is imprinted with Bella . . . but is he really?  The story is okay, I'm not sure if the series really deserves the hype it has received, but all in all I have to give Stephenie Meyer props on being one of the most successful young adult authors in the business.

My Book:

So picking a character to represent the letter E was a little hard for me.  Okay in retrospect I actually had to give a character a last name just so I would have a character that could represent the letter E.   Armand Etienne is a character from a book that Genevieve reads.   Throughout Genevieve's book, she is reading a book called Ursula's Seduction, a naughty romance novel about a girl whose betrothed (Armand) leaves for a year to fight in a war. While he is gone Ursula's father has to go away as well leaving his lighthouse in the hands of Ursula and Phillip the good-looking young man hired to tend the lighthouse while he is away on business.   The story is mainly about Ursula and Phillip's forbidden romance but Armand plays a very important part in the story.  Though I have no descriptions for Armand in Genevieve's book besides you never see him without his sword by his side, you get a strong feel for his character just by the few scenes he is in. He is arrogant, spoiled and chauvinistic and believes that when you are married the woman is the man's to do with how he pleases.   Ursula was to remain a virgin until their wedding day, and when he returned to find Phillip making eyes towards his betrothed Ursula he knew something was going on.  He then rapes and beats Ursula to teach her a lesson showing everyone that he is not the suave and debonair regal man Ursula believed him to be.  

What's For Dinner:  McDonalds and Fair food! Went to the Medieval Fair with my kids today! So awesome!!

Song of the Day:

Eden's Crush - Get Over Yourself

D is for Dangerous Minds, Daria, Divergent, Dillon and Demi Lovato

Movie:

So D was difficult to pick a movie for.  There are two movies that I absolutely love that start with D and fall into the teen movie category.   Most of the previous movies I shared were comedies, or 80's films. So naturally my first thought was to do Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead, but then I remembered Dangerous Minds.
Dangerous minds came out in the late 90's.  It starred Michelle Pfeiffer, a ex marine whose love of children made her go for a teaching degree.  She is offered a job teaching a bunch of misfit kids from the wrong side of the tracks.   The movie is basically the struggles of being an inner city teacher, losing kids to gang violence, teen pregnancy, and dropping out because they don't think they need the education. This movie despite only receiving three stars, I feel has a strong plot and good characters.

"Do not go gentle into that good night.Old age should burn and rave at close of day. Rage, rage against the dying of the light." Dylan Thomas

Television:

So Daria was a spinoff show from Beavis and Butthead.  Personally I think Daria was ten times better then Beavis and Butthead ever was.  Daria had interesting plot lines, funny characters, and a lack of stupid boneheads who giggle too much.   Daria is a sarcastic, social outcast who only has one friend. Jane.   Throughout the series you see Daria open up more, even to the point that she ends up falling for Jane's ex boyfriend Tom.  I like Daria's dry personality, her social awkwardness is also appealing because in reality everyone starts out a little emotionally and physically awkward.I wish they would have kept the show going longer, I was very upset when MTV took it down.  BRING DARIA BACK MTV!!!

Revel in Daria's awesome dry humor!

Book:

So I was going to save the Divergent series for V and talk about Veronica Roth as an author but then I realized . . .  Hey I just started reading again and really only want to talk about books I have previously read and give good feedback on so guess what Divergent it is.  

I must say it is an absolutely amazing book!  I really love Veronica Roth's literary style.  It is told from the first person point of view which really gets you in tune with Tris.  Tris was born in a time when the world is separated into factions.  Each person is believed to have an infinity for one of the five factions and when they turn sixteen are sorted after testing.  Tris was born to the Abegnation, stuffy and "stiff"  they spend their lives helping people.  But Tris or Beatrice as she is known to the Abegenation knew she could never live up to their expectations and ends up switching factions to Dauntless, a free-spirited dare devil group who are used for protection and warfare.  But Tris has a secret . . . She is Divergent . . . and has an infinity for more than one faction. Plot twist! Divergent is told beautifully, it has the right amount of description, so it's not over abundant, and the right mix of action.  I highly recommend this book to any reader, not just young adults.  (My husband loved it)

My Book:

Finally I get to introduce a very main character of my book.  The romantic lead and love interest of Genevieve, Dillon Brighton!  Dillon is the epitome of leading man material. Dark hair, piercing baby blue eyes that remind you of the sky and a smile with dimples for days.

Though Dillon is also the typical jock and Mr. popular he ends up falling for Genevieve, his shy, overweight tutor.   Genevieve and Dillon have a deep connection but Dillon is so involved with his rep that he wants to keep their love a secret.   As the story progresses a lot of things change his and Genevieve's relationship which also makes it even stronger towards the end.   There are times I love Dillon as a character and I also hate him.  He was written with every good I love about my husband, to every bad some of the skeletons in my past had. 

I think writing in general you always end up putting a part of your life in your stories some where. Whether it's basing a character off someone you know, or even putting a little of yourself in the story. 

Dillon is a mash-up of my dream guy, the love I have for my husband, and frogs I had to kiss to find the love of my life.   Hopefully my readers will end up feeling the same way as I do about him.  You gotta love to hate him, and hate to love him.   

What's for Dinner:  Pizza or takeout not sure yet

Song of the Day:  Demi Lovato featuring Joe Jonas  This is Me.

C is for Clueless, Clarissa Explains It All, Cassandra Clare, Charles, Christina Aguilera

Movie:

AS IF! I would do any other movie during the letter C.  Clueless is one of my all time favorite teen flicks. Alicia Silverstone pretty much made the movie. 

Clueless is about a bunch of spoiled rich kids that live in Beverly Hills.   The whole movie is basically about Cher trying to do good around her.  She makes friends with the new girl Tai, who is a skate punk, stoner chick. Cher immediately gives Tai a makeover and tries to hook her up with a guy friend of hers Elton, but Elton likes Cher, and Tai really likes a burnout kid named Travis. This is where the Clueless part comes to play.  Cher's friendship with Elton is jeopardized, and while Elton tries pursuing her Cher meets another guy Christian who she ends up liking.  Christian has problems of his own, and the whole time Cher is pursuing Christian she is actually in love with someone else.  Her brother Josh!  Okay so he is not really her brother but he is a stepbrother  . . .  that her dad adopted. Clueless is such a cute movie, and one that I will forever have in my collection

Television:

Clarissa Explains It All was a show played on Nickelodeon in the 90's.  (I'm trying to stick to movies, t.v. shows I have actually watched.)  It's about a girl name Clarissa who is played by Melissa Joan Hart and basically has her narrating things throughout her life.  She has an annoying brother, Ferguson who makes her life miserable.  Her best friend Sam never uses the front door, he always crawls through her two story window.  And her parents . . . well they are like any normal parents, in your life when they want to be and clueless to everything else. The show was cute, I don't remember a lot of the episodes but the one I do remember is when Clarissa and Sam go on a date . . . Awkward! Here is an old school 90's Nickelodeon commercial for the show

Book:

So I just got done reading all the Cassandra Clare Mortal Instruments.  I absolutely fell in love with them!  Cassandra Clare is a very descriptive writer.  In some parts the descriptions became so elaborate that I ended up skipping a lot of it.  I like descriptive writing but over description can also be off-putting as well.   I enjoyed the world of the Shadowhunters, Clary and Jace are strong main characters who interesting relationship makes the stories worth reading.  I really enjoyed Cassandra Clare's storytelling, she sweeps you into the world of Shadowhunters and makes you feel like you are right there with them.   If you like Supernatural books that deal with Vampires and Werewolves, Warlocks and Demons then you might enjoy reading the Mortal Instruments series. Clare also wrote a spinoff called the Clockwork series. I read the first two books in the series but wasn't as intrigued as I was with the Mortal Instruments.  I think it is because the characters aren't as strong or funny as they are in the Mortal Instruments. I recommend the series to any YA reader who enjoys the supernatural.

My Book:

It was hard to pick which character to introduce for C.  Chloe, Camille, Carmen, Charles.   I didn't realize I put so many C characters into my book until trying to pick who to represent for C.  I decided to settle on Charles.

Charles is Genevieve's older brother.  He is a very significant and important character in my book. He is strong, supportive, and extremely caring.   Charles spends most of the book trying to build up his sister's low self-esteem. Anytime she puts herself down he is there to scold her and pick her back up.  Some funny tidbits about Charles.  His car is his life, so much so he even gave her a name.   Shirlene.  He works as an assistant manager at a local grocery store just so he can fix all the things wrong with his car.   Charles is the one person that Genevieve loves more than anything, and pretty much is her best friend, brother, and a father figure.   The book wouldn't be the same without Charles in it.  A lot of the plot involves Charles, and things he says and does.  Oh and one more thing!  Charles is a complete and utter slob!And always wears the same Black Hoodie that he hardly ever washes!

What's for Dinner:  Pizza bread!  Yum!

Song of the Day:

Reflection by Christina Aguilera from the movie Mulan

 (little known fact this was actually her first single, not Genie in a Bottle) 

B is for Breakfast Club, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Betrayed, Blanca, and Britney Spears

Movie:

There is only one teen movie that best represents the letter B  . . . that's The Breakfast Club!  Yeah Baby!  That's right I said it . . . The Breakfast Club.   Are you a Brain, Jock, Princess, Basketcase or Criminal?  Everyone who has ever watched the movie asks themselves this question.  

The Breakfast Club was the first movie I ever watched in the young adult/teen romance.  This movie has always been one of my favorites.   Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, and Judd Nelson play a group of teenagers who come from different worlds and end up in Saturday detention for different reasons with an obnoxious Vice Principal who is the epitome of jerkwads. (yes I just said jerkwad!)  By the end of the movie they all realize they have more in common then they thought and end up all being friends or romantically involved.  The movie ends with Brian (A.M.H) writing a paper to the VP Mr. Vernon.  Below is the end scene and the very powerful paper Brian writes . . .

Television Show:

So I picked Buffy the Vampire Slayer as the T.V. show to represent B.  I admit after the first couple seasons my interest in the BTVS dwindled. Buffy is a girl who finds out while in high school that she has been destined to fight vampires as the Slayer.  The show revolves around her fighting all sorts of evil, not just vampires with a myriad of friends who follow her  along the way.  Xander and Willow are her two best friends, Willow goes through many changes throughout the series.  She explores her sexuality, and even becomes a witch.   Buffy has many love interests throughout the show the most significant is Angel a vampire played by David Boreanaz.  I really liked the first couple seasons of Buffy, but as the show went on a lot of my favorite characters seemed to get written off the show and the dynamic just died.

Lesson Number One:  Fear the Puppet!

Book:

 

So the book I chose is Book Two in the series House of Night.  The book is called Betrayed.  I fell in love with the H.O.N series by accident.  I was looking for a new book series to read in the library and came across Marked by PC and Kristin Cast.  The books follow the life of Zoey Redbird a young girl who gets marked as a vampire.  In the series vampires are unique they are given elaborate tattoos from the goddess Nyx which show off their individual powers.  In book two Zoey finds out that not only is her tattoo unique for a fledgling but her powers are as well. The series in itself keeps you engaged and I really enjoy reading it.  I recommend it to any avid vampire book lover.  

(Cool tidbit:  House of Night is based out of Tulsa Oklahoma. Which the authors both hale from!)

My Book: 

 

The next character I would like to introduce is Blanca.  Blanca is actually part of a trio of mean girls called the Replicas.  Blanca is an interesting character because she has hardly any lines in my books.  This is because Blanca is a copycat.  She has very few ideas that are her own, and pretty much repeats anything and everything the other two Replica's say.  Blanca's main features are a mouth full of braces, cheeks full of freckles and fiery red hair. Blanca's character is a very supportive role, it seems as with most teen novels, the villains usually have at least two comrades who back them up in their tormenting. Blanca is one of these two characters. I use Blanca for comedic relief, she is the dense one  . . . as well as the easily swayed one.   

What's For Dinner:  Leftovers!

Song of the Day:

Britney Spears - Hit Me Baby One More Time.

A is for Angus, Awkward, April Fools Day, Agnes, Ally and Aj

Movie:

So to kick off my Ode to the YA/NA world is the letter A.  At first I already knew what Movie I wanted to represent the letter A . . .  Adventures in Babysitting, but then I was scrolling through a young adult page and came across and old school 1995 movie called Angus. 

I absolutely adored this movie growing up. It's a little obscure but the story really touches you.  The movie is about Angus, and overweight and unpopular fat kid who is constantly picked on because of both his smarts and appearance.  A very young James Van Deer Beek plays the bully in this movie who of course spends the entire movie torturing poor Angus and his best friend Troy.  As a joke Angus is picked as Homecoming King which is fine because he gets to dance with the most popular girl in school and also his crush, Melissa.

The message in the movie is a simple one . . .  be yourself, be proud of who you are, and don't let others change you.  It doesn't matter if you're fat or skinny, popular or unpopular every single person has something they don't like about themselves or something they are ashamed of.   Once you get past the facade and actually pick through the layers of lies, underneath there will always be your true self . . .  can you face it?


                                              Below is my favorite scene from the movie. 

Television Show:



There wouldn't be an A, YA blog without the television show Awkward included in my post.  I absolutely love this show! I love it so much I never miss a season.  The show is about Jenna, a teenager destined for loser-dome that just so happens to be a walking suicidal mess.  (or so everyone thinks)  After the hottest guy in school Matty sleeps with her in a broom closet during summer camp he tells her that no one can know about their relationship.   Jenna is some what distraught by this but not to the extent everyone thinks.  Jenna then receives a mysterious letter that basically tells her she isn't worth a shit and needs to change herself.  (This actually upsets her)  She goes into the bathroom to take some pain meds.  While in the bathroom Jenna slips and falls, which she grabs a hairdryer that falls into the bathtub and shorts the lights a bottle of pills she was taking (she only actually had two) falls into the sink.  The whole situation looks like suicide, but it was just a misunderstanding. Hilarious antics follow . . .  drama, love, and awesome comedic quips fill the show and make it a must see for any YA lover. 



Book:

So because I am in the middle of reading Allegiant by Veronica Roth, I decided to do my YA book on April Fools Day by Richie Tankersley Cusick.  

I absolutely love Cusick's writing.  In the 90's her horror/thriller books went hand in hand with the R.L. Stine, and Christopher Pike young adult thriller books you saw all over the shelves.The only books I ever read as a teenager were in this genre . . . now I am opening my horizons more. :D

April Fools Day is about three friends who witness a horrible accident when coming home from an April Fools Day party.  Soon Belinda the MC is asked to tutor a horribly scarred angry kid named Adam who gives you the willies right off the bat.  She also meets his good-looking older brother Noel who of course becomes a love interest right away.  The book like all of Cusick's books take you on a ride where you find yourself asking, who did it, accusing every character that stumbles across the page.   I definitely suggest you read it for the nostalgic value more than anything else. 

(Cool Tidbit!  Richie Tankersley Cusick was born on April Fools Day!  Just like me!)

My Book:

As promised I said I would introduce some of my characters from the YA novel I am writing.  The first I would like to introduce is Agnes Tipperton.

 Back Story:

Agnes is Chloe Tipperton's Grandmother. After Chloe's parents died in a car wreck she was sent to live with her Grandmother who is not only overbearing, but a bit of a religious control freak as well.  Agnes is a very strong character. She is set in her ways and definitely not someone you want to mess with.  She controls every aspect of Chloe's life, from her beliefs to what Chloe should wear.   Although she is a background character in my current book, she will be a very prominent part of Chloe's book whenever I decide to finish writing it.   

What's For Dinner?  It's my birthday I have requested Steak and Baked Potatoes! YUMMY!!!

Song of the Day:  Sticking with the YA theme is 

Aly and Aj's Potential Break Up Song.

It's Almost Time! The A-Z Blog Challenge is only a few days Away!

Every year I re-awaken my blog to participate in the A-Z blog challenge.  If it were a book, my blog would be a dusty paperback sitting high on a bookshelf collecting dust and partying with the dust mites. Neglect, procrastination, and life rearing it's ugly head has forced my blog to become a mere after thought to my life in general.  Actually I haven't been neglecting writing, just my blog! I have been working on editing my teen romance novel, it's going by slowly but I am working on it. (One day I will be published . . . One Day)

I have been living in the world of NA and YA.  (New Adult and Young Adult) so much that it seems to be flowing through my veins.  From literature to movies and from movies to music I have immersed myself into the world of YA and made myself a home.

So this year for the A-Z Blogging challenge I have decided to make my love for YA come to life!  My blog this year will consist of Movies, music, books, and television shows that are completely influenced by the world of young adults.  Or should I say those rebel rousing, misfit teenagers we all have grown to love. I have also decided as the letters go by I will introduce the influential characters of my teen romance book series and some back story on them.

Hopefully by the end of my blog others will fall in love with the Young Adult/New Adult world just as much as I have! 

A-Z here I come!

New Years Resolution!

So this is it! 2013 is coming to an end and I have made a giant--make that monumental . . .New Years Resolution!

I have dubbed 2014 the year of the book.

What does this mean you ask? 

Well starting January 1, 2014 I will officially begin my pursuit of becoming a published author.  Why the sudden leap of faith? Why now after all these years of procrastination, and self doubt?  The answer is simple.  You only live once!

In 2011 I joined the Nanowrimo world and wrote a 50,000 word story in one month.  It was a challenge, but one I thoroughly enjoyed.  During that Nanowrimo excursion I wrote a book that I managed to finish later on in 2012.  It took me awhile, but my first goal was achieved and I finished my first novel from start to finish! (In all the stories I have previously wrote, I was never able to actually finish a book after starting it!) So now you understand why this was such a

Now in 2013 almost 2014 I have decided that it is pertinent to my future to try and achieve the only goal I have ever had in my life . . . to become a published author.

In January, I am hoping Amazon will announce this year's ABNA or Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award.   You submit your manuscript and enter it for a chance to win 50,000 dollars and your book is published through Amazon!  If they announce the contest for 2014, I have decided to enter . . . if my book is returned to me and does not place then I plan on submitting my book to agents and publishers.  Either way 2014 is my year of actively pursuing a publisher.

So what's next . . . I am editing my book.  I have until January 26th to submit my book to Amazon.  And I am not even through my second draft.  Hopefully I can buckle down and get this done.

Oh and another cool note!
I participated in the 2013 Nanowrimo and wrote another book ... well 50,019 words of it! Another achievement!  GOD I LOVE NANO!

Wish me luck on this monumental journey!  And hopefully by the end of this I will find my work on the pages of your Kindle, Nook, and other Electronic devices. Or in your hands turning the pages while you are reading the old fashioned way!  Which is what I prefer! 

What's For Dinner:  Hot Dogs, Mac 'N' Cheese, and Baked Beans

Song of the Day:  Eye of the Tiger by Survivor