Q is for Quest and Quippet

Okay, so Q was an extremely hard letter to find a movie, show, book, character and artist to write about. I found a movie, The Quest (Frog Dreaming) an old 80's film about a boy who lives in Australia who thinks there is a monster living in a lake by his house.  Turns out the monster isn't really a monster ( I won't give away what the monster really is).  But if you are interested in seeing the movie you can find the whole movie at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa4Z7xa2xh0 . I always have had a soft spot for this movie because Henry Thomas who played in Flight of the Navigator was the actor who portrayed Cody.

Anyways because of my lack of Q inspiration I decided to take today's blog a different way!

First off I decided to make up a word for what I am doing . . .quippet! All writers eventually will have to submit a query letter to literary agents, or publishing companies. (If they want to be published that is!)  A query for those who do not know, is a letter to said agent or publishing house that entices them to want to read your book and possibly give you a deal to publish it.  Sometimes with these queries a agent will ask for the first couple chapters or basically a snippet of your book to see if it is something they may be interested in.  So WAZAH! the idea of my quippet was born!  So "hopefully" for your reading pleasure I give you a quippet of Keeping Secrets.  The first four and a quarter pages to be exact. Hopefully you like it, this is my baby and I am very proud of it.

WARNING!!!! I am still editing... I am horrible with grammar and punctuation (if you have not noticed it in all my posts) I utilize my awesome mother, who used to be an English teacher, to edit all of my work for me. So if you see any errors I apologize! I'm in the process of changing the tense and my mom hasn't had a chance to look over this draft yet. Also this post is really long so if you wish to skip today's letter, I don't blame you.  (But you are missing out!) :D

P.S. Any feedback is appreciated! But if it's mean feedback please do it in a nice way!  I like softened blows!

So here you go . . . the first four pages of Keeping Secrets: Genevive

Genevieve

Keeping Secrets

 

 Chapter One

 Ursula’s gaze held steady as she studied the vast lapping waves crashing against the moonlit rocks at the bottom of the lighthouse.  Her golden hair billowed in the breeze; her skin rippled with endless goose bumps licked by the wind’s bitter bite. She wanted Armand to come back to her. It had been over a year since the last time he held her strongly in his arms and battered her with endless seductive kisses.

“When will my Armand come back to me?”  She asked the sea expecting it to answer. Ursula sighed, a cloud of breath hung loosely in the air exhaling into the darkness before her.  A year without her beloved Armand was breaking her down. How much more could she take before giving into the temptations hidden deep within her soul?

Suddenly, a soft rustling of feet shifting through sand caught her attention from down below. The shadow of a full-figured man walking towards the cliffs emerged silhouetted by the harvest moon that hung in the heavens.  Ursula’s heart leapt with joy. It must be her Armand coming back for her! But why was he heading towards the sea?  She raced after him down the long, iron staircase that covered the sides of the lighthouse and across the ivory sand that led up to the jagged rocks blocking the magnificent view of the ocean.

“Armand I am here! Where are you going?” She yelled as she neared the cliffs. The figure stopped at the overlook but didn’t turn around.  She could tell that it was not Armand she was chasing but Phillip, the hand her father hired to help maintain the lighthouse while he was away. The ocean hissed below, it seemed to beckon her further. She should have turned around then, but curiosity overwhelmed her urging her forward. He turned to face her watching as she finished scaling the rocks to get to him.

“Ursula, what are you doing here?” He asked.  His russet eyes studied her, caressing the curves that commanded her body and the tightness of the corset hugging her breasts. Suddenly she was overwhelmed with embarrassment; she had run outside in her nightwear with only a corset and long, silky, slip to cover her naked body.  Her cheeks flushed, tinged with a bright vibrant pink as shyness overtook her body. He took a step towards her.

“Don’t Phillip. You know we cannot.” His eyes blazed like a forest fire, the auburn highlights flickered within the moon’s beams. She could see through his gaze, behind it was a combination of hurt and confusion.

“How can you deny the passion between us Ursula?  For weeks now we have enjoyed each other’s company and you turn me away like I am some peddler looking for a few extra pennies.”  Ursula knew he was right. Ever since Phillip had shown up at her door, everything had changed.  Feelings that were once only for Armand, were now distant memories.  But she could not just turn her back on the love she has always known.  He was handpicked by her father for his wealth, and chosen by Ursula for his regal handsomeness. Armand would always be her betrothed, and Phillip would be nothing more than a silly fantasy. 

“Phillip you know that I am promised to Armand. Why do you continue your pursuit of my affection?”

“Tell me this Ursula.  Can you deny the passion between us?  You must be able to feel it deep within your soul.”  She looked away, afraid to speak. He grabbed her hands and pulled her into him. She could feel the warmth of his breath pressure its way through her mass of golden locks and against the nape of her neck. Gently he brushed her hair out of the way and swept his lips across her skin.

 “Please Phillip,” she pleaded.  I must stay pure for Armand. My family’s namesake depends on it!” Phillip ignored her and continued to kiss along her slender collar bone.   A little kiss wouldn’t spoil her, would it? She allowed Phillip to kiss further; she forgot how good it felt to be in a man’s arms again.  It wasn’t long before she had fallen completely victim to his seduction. Ursula allowed him to grope her bosom, the softness of his lips lingered just above her milky white flesh for at least a minute while he wrestled with the laced front of her satin corset.

“Do you still want me to stop?” Phillip asked his lips not wavering from the tops of her breast. Ursula nodded feebly knowing the words wouldn’t be able to leave her lips if she tried to speak  . . . .

~~~

“Every time I see you Miss Genevieve, your nose is buried in a book.”  His voice startles me; I tear my eyes away from Ursula’s Seduction to find Dillon’s playful blues studying me.

“Well if you ever showed up for our sessions on time, maybe I wouldn’t have to read to keep myself busy, Dillon.”  It’s hard to mask my sarcasm; Dillon plops down on the bench across from me and rifles a tattered English book from the depths of his book bag.

“I’m only a little bit late, 4:30 right?” I groan. Leave it to Dillon to miss our appointment by a whole hour.  He throws his head to the side, flicking his jet black hair back and revealing pure, pale, blue eyes hidden behind his bangs.  His eyes always seem to mesmerize me.  They remind me of spring time: when the sky is without a single cloud and the color is a flawless blue you can’t help but stare at for hours. I could stare at him for hours.  A mischievous grin stretches across his face, two perfectly placed dimples on each of his cheeks.  I can feel my face flush as I admire him; everything about him is perfect from his sculpted body, to his unblemished olive skin.  Even his teeth are flawless. Not a single speck of plaque can be found on them. So it’s no surprise that he is the quarterback for our champion football team, or that every girl in school wants to be his girlfriend

 “No, we were supposed to meet at 3:30; you should know this by now.”  I look up at the clock sitting behind him. There is only half an hour left before our session will be over.  Despite his absence, I rather enjoyed sitting in the library reading my book.  Most of the time it remained silent with only a few students milling around after the bell rang. The lack of student presence allowed me to do my two favorite things, read and smell the books. I can't help but wallow in the aroma of the library. It’s that faint odor of dust mixed with the scent of aging paper.  It's almost therapeutic  if you ask me—you can practically smell the knowledge seeping off the pages.   

“Oh, right, sorry, I thought it was 4:30.” I groan at his response and flip open my own English book that has been patiently waiting on top of the table for the last hour.

“So what are you reading anyways?” Dillon snatches my novel from off the table and flips it open to where my bookmark carefully holds my place. His eyes widen as he reads down the page.  “You actually read this stuff?”  My cheeks burn with guilt, and I quickly glance away from him.  “Ursula moaned as Phillip’s hand forcefully grabbed her  . . .”

“Shut up!” I squeal.  Nervously I look around the room to find a few curious faces staring at our table.  The librarian, a small round woman named Gladys, shushes us from behind her desk. She never seems to move from that spot. In fact I don’t think I have ever seen her anywhere else, but behind the comforts of that desk.  Desperate, I try to grab the book away from him but he playfully keeps it out of my reach. He continues to read, his voice is low and whispering with a husky tone that's deep and almost sensual—I could listen to him for hours.

“Phillips lips brushed across her nipple as his tongue slowly . . .” I giggle.  For some reason having the story read to me doesn’t seem nearly as intoxicating as reading the book myself.  I snatch the book out of his hands and quickly tuck it safely into my book bag.

“Wow, that was some pretty intense stuff . . . your parents actually let you read porn?”

“It’s not porn!” My voice raises two octaves as I try desperately not to bring any more attention to our table. “It’s romantic.”

“That is not romance, Miss Genevieve; that is porn!” 

“Porn is defined as the depiction of acts in a sensational manner, with the entire focus on the physical act, so as to arouse quick intense reactions. My book is categorized as Erotica or the portrayal of sexuality with high-art aspirations, focusing also on feelings and emotions.”  When I get nervous I become a walking dictionary spitting out references to every obscure detail the world has to offer.  Today was not an exception.

“Huh, I guess that explains the feeling I’m getting between my legs then?”  This causes me to blush and I fail miserably at hiding my amused giggles.

“You’re atrocious, sometimes; I hope you know that Dillon.”

“And you’re a walking dictionary.  Why do you read that stuff anyways?”

“Like I said, it’s romantic.” I can feel my eyes rolling at him. His baby blues shimmer impishly like he is considering what to say next.

“Hey, if you want romance, I can give you romance, Miss Genevieve.” He playfully brushes the outside of my cheek which I return with a swift kick to the shin. He laughs. I love his laugh. “So what are we studying today, Miss Genevieve?” I hate when he calls me that.  It makes me feel old, really old.

“Can you please not call me that?  Mr. Carnegie is getting ready to test you on Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet to be specific.” I can tell he isn’t amused. Boredom fills his expression, his eyes shift around the library before returning to me.

“Hey isn’t that a romantic story?” His clever comparison makes his smile stretch even further across his face.  My heart races, that smile always gets me.

“It’s classified more like a tragic love story. I quote the first paragraph of Romeo and Juliet, citing it purely from memory. I close my eyes and get lost in my spoken words. If I was alone, I probably would have started crying, Shakespeare always seemed to speak to my inner emotions.  Romeo and Juliet’s love story was both heart breaking and powerful.  To love someone that deeply, to give up your life just because you think the one you love gave up there’s . . .  it was romanticism at its finest—maybe one day I can experience my own intricate love story; minus the tragedy of course.

“Say what? You’re speaking gibberish.” His eyes cross and he scrunches his face like a child. I know he is just trying to make me laugh but his joke falls short, the fact he can’t recognize literary genius is a major turn-off.  I narrow my eyes at him and find myself ranting.

“It’s Shakespeare, pure literary poetry.  He is considered to be greatest playwright to ever walk the planet.  I find his words linger on your lips and escape with a smooth flow that is very easy to follow.”

“Lingers like Phillip’s lips just above Ursula’s breast?” An eyebrow raises over his right eye and his grin spreads.

“Shut up Dillon! Are we going to study today, or are you going to insult me more?”

“I am not insulting you; I’m teasing you. There is a difference.  Don’t you like to be teased?”

“Not especially, I get enough of that from Mika.”  Mika Davis is the mastermind behind the Replica’s, a trio of mean girls that rule our school with perfectly manicured fists.  She also happens to be Dillon’s ex-girlfriend. Since middle school the Replicas have owned the hallways: they have mastered the art of manipulation, perfected the craft of embarrassing their peers, and are experts in the logistics of bullying. They pretty much get away with everything they do, teachers look the other way and our principal doesn’t seem to care.  The result is me and my two best friends, Chloe and Camille, always being in their crosshairs.  It really sucks being unpopular.

“Yeah, Mika can be a bitch sometimes.” He answers nonchalantly.

“That’s the understatement of the year.” I glance up at the clock, our time is up. I didn’t even get a chance to talk about Romeo and Juliet. I wasted another hour and a half of my life waiting on Dillon Brighton. “It looks like our time is up Dillon. You know, if you don’t keep our appointments, you won’t be able to play football your senior year of high school . . . you’re going to flunk English.”

“That’s why Mr. Carnegie gave me the best tutor in the school.  You’re my only hope, Miss Genevieve.” Instant annoyance, my eyes narrow. “I mean, Genevieve.” He quickly corrects throwing his famous smile my way.  I move a few strands of hair that dangle just in front of my face and tuck them behind my ear.

“Can you please be here on time tomorrow? 3:30, is that okay?”  Dillon nods and quickly stuffs his English book back into his bag. A couple of guys from the football team are walking past the library door. 

“3:30 . . . got it. I will be here.” He jumps to his feet and quickly speeds out the door.  I find myself admiring Dillon as he scampers off; he is the epitome of leading man material.  Suddenly I am a victim to my own inner fantasies: in rides Dillon, his hair is darker and longer falling dreamily around his shoulders as he straddles a pure white steed whose coat seems to shine in the sun. I am tied to train tracks; a villainous scoundrel laughs manically from the window of a train that is barreling towards me. I fear for my life and scream out for someone to help me. Seconds before the train is to hit me, Dillon breaks the ropes in two with just his bare hands; he grabs me and lifts me up into his arms. I bury my head into his chest looking up into those sultry baby blues. The train whizzes past us romantically whipping my hair like in the movies. Gently he touches my lips to his, meeting in a blissful, serene kiss that I desperately want to make last. As the kiss deepens, his face fades and as quickly as the daydream had begun it ends. I am whisked back into reality, my face burning over my impure thoughts.  I sigh, packing up each of my books and stuffing them back into my bag.

What's For Dinner?


Song of the Day:

 Queen - Somebody to Love

P is for Pretty in Pink, Punky Brewster, Pink Parrot Series, Camille Parker, Phillip Phillips

***ALERT: I have something Special planned for tomorrow's Q Blog!***

MOVIE:

My blog would not be complete without a few Molly Ringwald movies thrown into the mix.  Pretty

in Pink is one of my favorite teen movies. Pretty in Pink is about a girl (Andie) from the wrong side of the tracks who suddenly tickles the fantasy of a rich,  preppy kid named Blaine.  Andie's life is the exact opposite from Blaine. Her father is an alcoholic, couch potato, and a liar who spends most of the movie disappointing Andie. Her best friend Duckie, is a goofy guy who absolutely adores her and wants to be her boyfriend  Andie knows about his attraction but only sees him as a friend.  My favorite scene is when Duckie bursts into the movie store where she works and lip syncs to a "Try a Little Tenderness" in front of Andie and her boss Ionia. When Blaine starts becoming interested in Andie, his best friend Stef tries everything in his power to break them up.  The movie's climax happens prom night when Blaine asks Andie to prom and suddenly backs out leaving Andie dateless.  This movie is classic 80's brat pack gold, directed by John Hughes. 

Television:

I'm sticking to the 80's with the P theme today, and what better 80's television gem to represent P then Punky Brewster! I loved Punky Brewster growing up.  The television show was about a little girl named Penelope (Punky) who is abandoned by her parents with her dog Brandon at a shopping mall.  Young, alone, the orphaned pair find an abandoned apartment building that they make a new home for themselves.  The building is owned by Henry a grouchy old man who is never happy.  While living in the abandoned apartment Punky makes a friend named Cherie and soon Henry discovers Punky and Brandon and hears their story.  The show follows Henry and Punky's relationship, and when Punky is taken to an orphanage after being discovered, they both realize they are rather fond of each other.  Henry ends up becoming Punky's foster dad, and then adopts her.  I loved Punky Brewster and wish the show would have lasted longer two years.

Book:

The book series I want to talk about for P is one of my all time favorites growing up as a child.  It involved my favorite sport baseball.  The Pink Parrots series was popular in the 90s and involved an all girls team formed by Breezy and Kim two friends whose passion for baseball inspires them to create a team and play against the boys.  I fortunately was only able to read number three of the series called Mixed Signals, but I can tell you right now I wore that book out! In fact I loved the books so much that I found them online and got them for my daughter.  I now plan on reading the whole series. (Yes I am 32 and planning on reading a  preteen book series again!) Mixed signals was about a tomboy Terri, who is all about baseball. Then she meets the strange, but cute pitcher nicknamed the Iceman and soon she is having feelings she never felt before.  I love the Pink Parrots series and I think it's a perfect book series for any girl who loves softball and likes to read!

My Book:

So I have this character . . . gosh what can I say or not say about her? First I should tell you that it is my intention to make my book into a series.  My original thought is to have a book for each girl, Chloe, Camille and Genevieve and then sum it all up with one last hoorah! with a final book that brings them all together.  So with that being said I think it's time to introduce you to one of my more controversial characters, Camille.  Camille is a head case. She's freakin' crazy!  She has so many problems that I could probably spend this whole blog talking about her idiosyncrasies. Camille's issues started at the age of five, when she discovered her mother on the floor of the bathroom, dead.  It's haunted her ever since.  She lives with her father who always seems absent from her life, he tries to make up for it by buying her whatever she wants.Every year she gets a new car, she can have whatever pet she wants, basically she's spoiled, but not really loved.  I know that Camille's character is going for that emo/punk rock look, but it wasn't until I started editing her character I realized more and more that I was also giving her a unique ethnicity as well that I didn't notice before. American/Asian. Camille has a lot of unhealthy obsessions, but her most apparent one is that she thinks she is love with Dillon.  Her love is that stalker, hey let me sneak into your room and watch you sleep kind of love that gives you the heebee geebees.  She has many psychological problems: she's suicidal, dabbles with alcohol and drugs, and other more deep problems I don't want to spoil. She is pretty much a psychotic bitch that you really don't want to meet in a back alley.  I started writing Camille and Chloe's stories during different periods of my Nanowrimo adventures.  The one year that I failed to meet the word count I was attempting to write Camille's story. I found that writing her story has been my biggest difficulty.  I think it's because her character is so dark, and haunted, and though I do like writing those kind of stories, Camille has this edge and darkness that almost scares me to write. I'm not sure exactly how far I am going to take Camille's character in her own book. My idea for her is so depressing and crazy that my fear is no one will connect with her, or want to read her book.  I connect with Genevieve on so many levels that her story was amazingly easy to write.  But as for poor Camille, her book remains a few paragraphs sitting in a folder on my computer waiting for the day I get enough guts to confront her head on.  Come on Camille . . . Bring it!

What's For Dinner? Burgers and Fries

Song of the Day:

Phillip Phillips - Gone Gone Gone

O is for Outsiders, OC, Old Yeller, Owen, O-town

ALERT: I have something special planned for my Q post! But it will be long so BEWARE and be EXCITED!!!

Movie:

The Outsiders is a classic movie from the 80's with a bunch of big stars as the cast.  The story is

based off a book written by S.E. Hinton.  The movie is about a gang called the Greasers that live in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  (Hey it's based in my state!) Great male actors star in this movie including Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, Ralph Maccio, C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, and Rob Lowe.  The story is that two of the Greasers are hitting on a rival gangs girlfriends at a drive-in after being confronted the girls go home with their boyfriends and leave the two Greasers alone.  Later that night in a park they are jumped by the rival gang the Socs and one of the boys ends up getting killed. The two Greasers end up going into hiding, while in hiding they see a church being burned down and hear the screams of children.  Three of the Greasers go into save the children and after everyone is safe, one of the Greasers played by Maccio ends up becoming badly hurt. The story is actually a written essay by Ponyboy, one of the survivors of the fire as he tells his class all about his summer. This movie was greatly cast, and Francis ford Coppola did a great job bringing Hinton's story to life on screen.

Television:

None of the shows that start with O, and involve teen actors/actresses ever really spoke to me.  I think I maybe caught one or two episodes of The OC but never really watched the show.  I guess the basic premise of the show is that Ryan Atwood is a troubled youth who gets adopted and brought into a rich families life, the Cohens. Ryan and his surrogate brother Seth are brought up in a different world then they were born into.  From the wrong side of the tracks Ryan and Seth have to adjust to their new found life of endless possibilities and navigate through the tough relationships they meet on the way.  From what I read the plot basically surrounds their relationships with Summer (Seth's Crush) and Marissa ( the girl next door).  The show sounds pretty interesting but I just never got into it.





 

Book:

My daughter has been bugging me to buy her some classic books for her birthday.  Her teacher read

her Where the Red Fern Grows, so now she wants that book, it's sequel and Old Yeller.  I have of course seen Old Yeller the movie, but I never had a chance to read the book written by Fred Gipson. Old Yeller is a tragic story involving a boy and his dog. A young boy named Travis is asked by his father to take care of his farm while he is away.  He lives there with his mother and younger brother Arliss. While he is taking care of the farm a yellow lab begins sniffing around the property and reluctantly Travis ends up taking the stray dog in. He names the dog Old Yeller. Soon Travis becomes attached to the dog, and when the dog's original owner comes looking, he ends up seeing the bond Old Yeller has with the family. The ending is the sad part when Travis is forced to do something unthinkable to Old Yeller to save his family.  I will eventually end up getting my daughter the book, and then I can read it myself!







My Book: 

So for O I decided to do a character who is only mentioned in the first couple chapters.  Owen is Dillon's cousin who died from cancer two years prior to meeting Genevieve.  I chose Owen as a character in my book because I wanted to give Genevieve and Dillon a common ground to bring them together, losing a loved one before their time.  Dillon and Owen were very close, almost like brothers. After Owen died Dillon wasn't sure how to function socially anymore and ended up going off by himself all the time to get away from everything and suppress the void he has for Owen.  I can't give too much away, on why Owen's character, despite not being in the book is so important. But let's just say he plays a big role in a decision down the line for our two lovebirds Dillon and Genevieve.

What's For Dinner?

Song of the Day :

O-Town - All or Nothing



N is for Not Another Teen Movie, Ned's Declassified, Nebula, Nelson, NSYNC

Movie:

It is only fitting that the spoof of almost every teen movie ever made be the representative for the letter N. Not Another Teen Movie is a spoof film that makes fun of classic teen movies such as She's All That, Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, 10 Things I Hate About You, Bring It On, Varsity Blues, American Pie  and so much more! The movie is meant to be stupid, that's what spoof movies are, but for the simple fact that it touches on so many of my favorite films I really enjoy watching it!  Basic story line, girl dumps boy . . . boy wants revenge . . . boy meets unpopular girl . . . boy gets dared to make unpopular girl over for prom queen . . . unpopular girl gets makeover  . . . girl who dumps boy wants boy back . . . unpopular girl gets dumped . . . boy realizes he loves unpopular girl . . . happy ending led/misled by none other than Molly Ringwald! Yes I did say Molly Ringwald!  I love Not Another Teen Movie. Not as much as I love the originals, but I still love it and laugh my butt off it every time I watch it!

Television:

Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide was a cute little show that played on Nickelodeon. It
follows Ned and his two friends Mose and Simon also called Cookie as they go through middle school and try to survive.  The show has Ned the narrator pause throughout the show to give rules to whomever is watching about what they should do to get through middle school.  Sometimes it was about bullies, sometimes it was about bad hair days or love, NDSSG touched on almost every subject.  The show was goofy, but the kids were not really believable.  It's a great show for younger kids but as an adult it really doesn't keep you interested.  But hey I needed a N show... and NDSSG fit!  So there you go!  My favorite character was Mose though, she tough and pretty and knows nothing about love or boys. I really hated Simon's character, I think he over acts and is extremely irritating.  Ned could sometimes be annoying as well.

  

Book:

So how about an unknown, but upcoming book for N.  At first I wasn't sure what book to do for N, but then I was on Goodreads and entered a bunch of giveaways in the YA genre.  I WON ONE! A autographed copy none the less. So in anticipation for the upcoming book I will be receiving I decided to make my N book about it.  Nebula (The Nebula Trilogy, Book one) is a book written by L.A. Sees.  I am looking forward in reading it because it sounds so fascinating and the reviews are awesome, all five stars! This is the synopsis as posted on Goodreads -  Ree Lindbergh’s dream since she was a little girl is a simple one: to one day travel to Earth. Instead, she’s stuck aboard the Omega Centauri, a spacecraft used to patrol the borders of the Milky Way. Having spent her entire seventeen-year existence on board, Ree is a bit restless. But her mission is important: help keep Earth’s newly discovered alien species, the Bufoanthroid, under control.By day, Ree enjoys spending time with her best friend, Zac Walker. But when night falls, she is continually tormented by memories of her mother, killed by a Bufoanthroid the day Ree was born.Her world is turned upside down once again when Zac’s ship disappears. Determined to rescue him, Ree embarks on a frantic mission to save him. As events unravel and secrets are revealed, Ree soon realizes that achieving her dreams will mean facing the truth behind her nightmares. The book sounds really interesting and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. I hope to be able to do the same with my book some day and do a giveaway as well!  I will let you know how the book ends up being!

My Book:

No YA book would be the same without the friend/nerdy guy who has a crush on the main character but always seems to be that nice guy who finishes last.  Well I would like you to meet Nelson!  Nelson Anderson is Genevieve's friend and competitor for everything academic.  Nelson Anderson is one of my favorite characters.  He is witty, cute (in that geeky sort of way) and absolutely adores Genevieve for everything she is. He would not change one thing about her.  Nelson is described in my book as an intellectual George Clooney, mixed with a handsome Harry Potter. He also starts growing a goatee on his chin his senior year which makes him more attractive to the opposite sex. One thing I find really unique about Nelson, and is something that should be opposite of his character, is that he can sing, not just sing but really sing. His cutest scene is when he asks Genevieve to go with him to prom.  SQUEAL! I love Nelson, I think he is the right kind of guy for Genevieve but she can't seem to see past the friendship they both share.  Maybe they will work out in the end.  Guess you will just have to read my book to to find out!

What's For Dinner: Tacos

Song of the Day:

NSYNC - God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You

M is for Mean girls, My So Called Life, Mockingjay, Mika, McFly

Movie:

Mean Girls played a big part in inspiring me for the book I am writing.  It follows Cady a foreign exchange student that has spent the last 12 years in Africa with her parents.  They then move to Evanston, Illinois where she is thrown into a unknown world of peer pressure, opposite sex encounters, and bullying. When Cady first gets to school she meets a pair of social outcasts Janis and Damian who she immediately bonds with.  Then she gets asked by Regina Matthews, the most popular girl in school to sit at a table with the Plastics a trio of mean girls. Regina is the ring leader, Gretchen is her rich lackey, and Karen the ditzy blonde who is everything stereotypical.  As Cady starts fitting in with the plastics she soon learns that they have a burn book in which they write something mean and hateful about the other girls in the school.  This of course eventually gets leaked and the entire school is turned upside down!  Mean Girls inspired the trio of mean girls in my book. More so I followed the stereotypical format of a trio of girls who use their popularity to belittle others.

Television:

So growing up in the 90's there was only one show that I would watch religiously every time it came on.  That was My So Called Life. The show followed Claire Danes character Angela and her misfit friends as they go thorugh their sophomore year of high school. The show dealt with a lot of major issues, such as sex, drug use, homophobia, adultery, and school violence to name a few.  Jared Leto played the hot, and sexy musician bad boy that Angela falls for named Jordan.  I think every girl in the 90's had a crush on Jordan. I loved My So Called Life so much that at one time I bought the series.  Unfortunately the series only made it one season before Claire Danes told the writers that she  no longer wanted to be a part of the show and ABC pulled it completely.

Book:

So the third installment in the Hunger Games trilogy is Mockingjay.  Out of the three books I think it was my least favorite.  The last book in a series is supposed to make you cheer, or boo, or throw you for a loop. I thought the ending in Mockingjay fell flat, throughout the series Suzanne Collins kept me enthralled.  I fell in love with Katniss, Peeta, and the rest of the characters she created for the Hunger Games Trilogy.  I felt after a semi-climatic ending Collins left me wanting more.  The ending fell flat the characters stories didn't really seem finished. I felt she gave the the fans what she thought they wanted and in the end the story just lacked that magical quality the first two books possessed.  But even with my feelings towards the last of her series, I really do love the Hunger Games Trilogy.  I feel Collins is a gifted writer and really draws you into the world Katniss lives in. I recommend the Hunger Games Trilogy to any reader that likes YA and apocalyptic type stories.

My Book:

So you met Bianca, in a previous post of the Replica's now it's time to meet the ring leader Mika! Mika is the typical rich, bitch mean girl.  She is one of those girls that can have whatever she wants, gets it, and uses it to make people follow her. Of course she is beautiful, and every guy wants to date her, but she is too busy worrying about her popularity, and becoming prom queen to really care about the hormonal teenage boys drooling after her. Mika has it out for Genevieve. Though Mika has a brain, she doesn't have the intelligence Genevieve has.  Their feud spans years, starting in middle school when Genevieve and Camille first meet Chloe. (a former and estranged Replica) Mika is also Dillon's ex-girlfriend who still holds a candle for their on again off again relationship. Mika and Genevieve's dynamic is the basic popular girl picks on unpopular girl, when Genevieve and Dillon's relationship begins to heat up their hate for each other intensifies until it finally reaches that epic peak where a fight is the only outcome! But who will come out on top?

What's For Dinner: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

Song of the Day:

McFly - I've Got You

L is for Lost Boys, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Lion Witch and the Wardrobe, Libby, Lil Bow Wow

Movie:

Okay to prove my point that vampire's DO NOT SPARKLE! I am providing the most awesome, and dare I say it . . .the best vampire movie ever.  The Lost Boys!   Yes my friends the cult-classic is resurrecting in my L blog today.  The Lost Boys is my favorite vampire movie.  It's about a family that moves to Santa Clara not knowing it is overrun by vampires.  The mother Lucy, and her two boys Michael and Sam move in with Lucy's dad, (that is never called anything but grandpa and dad in the movie) and start making a life for themselves in Santa Clara.  Lucy gets a job at an electronics store, and Sam meets to estranged brothers, the Frog Brothers, a duo of comic book reading vampire hunters who warn Sam of the vampire population flourishing in Santa Clara. Michael ends up meeting a girl named Star who he is instantly drawn to. He doesn't know it then but Star is a fledgling vampire who runs with a group of vampires led by the hot, and steamy David played by a young Keifer Southerland. David and the rest of his vampire friends start turning Michael into a vampire.  When Sam and the Frog Brothers find out their first instinct is to stake Michael.... but then they decide to go after David and kill him, then anyone who has turned after him will be human again.  Easy right?  I cannot express my love for The Lost Boys, I could watch the movie everyday and not get tired of it.  If you haven't seen it, you should.  It is definitely a classic!

Television:

 Purple Parrots, Blue Barracudas, Silver Snakes, Orange Iguanas, Red Jaguars, and the Green Monkeys.  Anybody know the reference yet?  How about the great and powerful Olmec? Or host Kirk Fogg? Okay so unless you grew up in the 90's you probably don't remember this television show. Legends of the Hidden Temple was a game show on Nickelodeon in the 90's.  The show begins with six teams (mentioned above) that start on one end of a moat and have to cross to get to the other.  After the round only four teams will remain.  The second round, the Steps of Knowledge, is a bit harder. The teams are asked a series of questions that will make them ascend up steps one at a time. The first two teams who get to the top first get to go to the third round which is called the temple games.  The last two remaining teams battle it out in a series of challenges for the ultimate goal to reach the temple run. There they have to run through a maze and find the hidden relic while navigating through 12-13 rooms.  The pair of teammates are blessed with a pendant where each teammate gets half, this can be used to get past temple guards but if they are caught without the pendant they are taken from the game.The show was very cute, and I always wanted to go on shows like this growing up. 

Book:

So another classic that I have yet to read but would like to is: The Lion Witch and Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. The story is one that any child would love. Four siblings two boys and two girls find a mysterious wardrobe in a room of the house they are staying at.  Inside the wardrobe behind a hidden door is a mysterious new land called Narnia.  Narnia is a land full of mystical creatures and animals that can speak like humans. Lucy the youngest of the children is the first to find Narnia. While playing hide-n-seek she climbs into the wardrobe and ends up going through the door, while in Narnia she meets a man who is also half faun named Mr. Tumnus, he invites her to tea.  While there he admits that he brought her there to give her over to the evil White Witch who rules Narnia. He decides against it and leads Lucy back to the lamppost where they first met.  Lucy returns to her siblings and tells them all about her adventure.  They don't believe her. Later Lucy enters Narnia again, and her older brother Edmund follows her. Edmund meets the White Witch while in Narnia and falls under her enchantment.  When both children return to the real world again, Edmund denies ever being in Narnia or meeting the White Witch.  Finally all four children enter and while there they begin searching for the real ruler of Narnia, Aslan a lion.  The story is one that every child will treasure. It is one that I would love to read to my children or have my children read.  Since then the book has been made into countless movies and has had many sequels.

My Book:

So many characters in my book are a bit on the strange side, but none of them hold a candle to Libby. The hippie, seamstress and owner of Libby's Dress Shop.  Libby is a college friend that grew up with Genevieve's mother Sheila. When Genevieve gets asked to prom it is her mission to find the right and perfect dress that will make her night magical.  Her mother takes her to Libby who is as vibrant and wild as the dresses she makes. I am as you can see an 80's nut and a little of Libby's inspiration spars from Annie Pots, Iona, in Pretty in Pink her spunk mind you not the total character.  Libby's favorite color is green, and when Genevieve meets her the first time she thinks Libby may be an alien from outer space with her eccentric look.  From her hair to her skin, Libby is in head to toe green, and although it should deter people from buying her dresses, Libby is entirely too good at what she does and gets a lot of business.  I love Libby's character.  She was so fun to write and create. She is youthful and carefree, something that every person should embrace.

What's For Dinner:  Hamburger Helper

Song of the Day:   

Lil Bow Wow.  (Or Bow Wow now) ft. Ciara Like You

K is for Karate Kid, Kids Incorporated, Kipling, Keeping Secrets, Ke$ha

I am super excited about today's post! I finally was able to introduce my book, and not just the characters! So if you think this is long-winded and are curious about my synopsis skip on down to My Book and read that paragraph! I'd love some feedback on what you think of it. So if you have a moment post your thoughts in the comment section.  I'd love to know what you think of my "baby" that I have been working on since 2011. That includes all kinds of feedback, even if you think it sucks!  But if you do please say it in a nice way. lol .Thanks for Reading! 

Movie:

Kicking off K is one Kick butt movie.  (See where I am going with this?) The Karate Kid is a 80's classic starring Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita and Elizabeth Shue. !WAX ON WAX OFF! Most people have already seen this movie, if you haven't you should!  Daniel, or Daniel-san as Mr. Miagi calls him, is a kid who moves to California from New Jersey.  At first he has no problem fitting in but soon he ends up with a crush on Ali.  Ali is the ex-girlfriend of a jerk named Johnny who happens to be the ring-leader of a group of Martial Arts Bullies from the Cobra Kai.  When Daniel starts getting beat up by Johnny and his friends, Daniel decides it's time to rekindle his love for karate.  He finds the maintenance man Mr. Miagi, and he starts instructing Daniel on how to become a better martial artist., Daniel enters into a Karate Competition where he will have to face Johnny, his pals, and the head of the Cobra Kai, John Kreese.  The Karate Kid is a classic, one that everyone should have in their collection.  In fact the trilogy, (although two and three weren't as great) should be in everyone's collection.

Television:

So growing up in the 80's there used to be a show, kind of like Mickey Mouse Club called Kids Incorporated.  It was a show where the kids did a whole bunch of singing with old 80's-90's classics.  A couple of stars actually got their start on that show. Including Jennifer Love Hewitt, Fergie, and Martika. I liked the show although the acting was pretty bad.  The music was always good, the story lines not so much.  The show's cast always seemed to be changing, but it did pave the way for a lot of careers in the television and music industry.

Book:

 

Rudyard Kipling is famous for his adventure stories. He is person responsible for bringing the Jungle Book to life.  I have yet to read the Jungle Book, in fact there are very few classic novels that I have read if any.  Most of the classics I have had the pleasure of reading were brought to my attention through reading lists in school. I am familiar with Kipling mainly because of Walt Disney's adaptation, and the life action movies that have come out based off of his novel. Kipling's stories originally appeared in magazines circa 1894 - 1895. The Jungle Book follows Mowgli, a boy who grows up in the Jungle where he is raised by wolves.  While he grows up he befriends a bear named Baloo and a black panther named Bagheera and with their help Mowgli is able to fight the powerful, tiger Shere Khan.  I hope to start reading some classics in the future, but until then my memories of the beloved Baloo and the Bear Necessities will forever be in my mind.

My Book:

Ok so I have introduced a bunch of characters from my book, but you are probably wondering what the book is about. Well you are in luck my friends today's blog is K, if you haven't already guessed! And guess what???? My book starts with a K.  So behold the synopsis of my story  . . .

Keeping Secrets - Genevieve

Why can’t life be like what you read in a romance novel?  For Genevieve Montgomery, her life is as far from a romance novel as it can possibly be.  Romance involves beautiful women with handsome leading men that sweep them off their feet. Being overweight and smart doesn't exactly have boys flocking to her doorstep.  Coming to terms with a loveless life is easy for Genevieve; all she has to do is study, read her dirty books, and keep her head focused on the goals she has set:  Getting into Dartmouth University and beating Nelson Anderson for Valedictorian of their high school.

But plans can change instantly, and when a tragic accident takes away the one person she loves the most, Genevieve's world is turned upside down. Paralyzed with grief the only way to mend her broken heart is to find something that will distract her from her emotions. Who knew she would find it in the most unlikely place. The arms of Dillon Brighton—the hottest guy in school and the boy she tutors for English. 

Now Genevieve is in the middle of her own romantic story fit for the pages of one of her naughty books. Everything seems to be looking up for Genevieve until Dillon tells her he wants to keep their relationship a secret, even from her best friend Chloe. Genevieve is faced with choices she never had to deal with before. Between her other best friend Camille's unhealthy obsession with Dillon, and her constant run-ins with Dillon's ex Mika and her posse of mean girls called the Replicas, keeping her new love a secret proves to be harder than she ever imagined. Desperate to keep their love strong, Genevieve is willing to risk everything, even her future, just to stay with Dillon. But as with every romantic story there is always a price to pay . . .  and hers just so happens to come with a face.

Is love really worth losing everything you have ever worked for, just for a few moments fit for the pages of a book? 


Find out in Keeping Secrets the first installment of the Choices Book Series.


What's For Dinner - Hawaiian Roll Sliders

Song of the Day:

Ke$ha - Die Young

J is for Just One of the Guys, Joan of Arcadia, J.K. Rowling, Jake Higby, JoJo

 Movie:

So for the J movie I am bringing back the 80's again!  Just One of the Guys is an 80's movie where a girl named Teri is trying to make a name for herself in a man's world.  When her teacher tells her she is a pretty girl and can be a model not a reporter, Teri disguises herself as a guy and enrolls herself into another school. Soon she ends up learning way more about men then she proposed and soon finds herself battling feelings she has for the only person she made friends with at the school. Another movie I like with a similar plot line is called She's the Man, but that story was based off the Shakespeare Play Twelfth Night.  The movie is a typical teen movie filled with comedy and romance. It's cast makes the movie, and though their are a few familiar faces, they are relatively unknown.  I especially like Teri's brother Buddy who always seems to make her life even more difficult, and gets a kick out of seeing her squirm.   I really love Just One of the Guys!

 Television:

 Joan of Arcadia was a t.v. show in the early 2000's about a girl named Joan who is approached by God and asked to help random people out with their lives.  God always appears to her as someone
different and she never knows when he will pop up.  God also never tells her exactly why she is helping the people she is supposed to help, and keeps her out of the loop. Joan of Arcadia fell more into a drama category.  The stories during the show were heartfelt, sometimes edgy.  In one of the final episodes Joan is sent to find her ex boyfriend who mysteriously disappears one night after their break-up and finds him in the forest.  The show dealt with the stress of marriage, dealing with a paraplegic child, infidelity, suicide.  Just to name a few. I really enjoyed the show and was disappointed when they canceled it.  I thought the show was cast well and worked well with one another. 

Book:

Okay I'm ready for it! Prepare to insert boo's here . . . X  . . . or maybe here  . . . X.  Anyways I decided for my J book I would talk about J.K. Rowling. Yes the amazing author who brought the wonderful world of Harry Potter to life.  So here is where you will probably boo me. I have never read any of the Harry Potter books! GASP, OHMYGERD, WTH?  Yup all those are accepted reactions to me never reading any of the Harry Potter series.  I have the books . . . I just haven't read them yet.  (I have seen all the movies which probably doesn't count.)  Now you may be wondering why I would want to talk about J.K. Rowling if I haven't read her books.  Well for one, they are on my to-read list.  And two J.K. Rowling is my idol for becoming a writer.  I say this because even though she went though many rejections before finally being published, she was gifted what any writer wants . . . the big fat royalty check, instant fame, millions of fans, and a following that will last her for ages.  J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter series in a coffee shop on anything she could find.  Napkins, scraps of paper.  And soon her world of Potter was born. (it's so big there is even a theme park now!) Harry was born different, he is a wizard after all. He is taken from a horrible life of living in a closet and whisked away to a new and exciting land full of monsters, wizards, and magic.  The series follows him as he learns the mark on his forehead was formed after a evil wizard "he who shall not be named"  tries to kill him. With his two best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger by his side, and others he picks up along the way, Harry battles "he who shall not be named" throughout the books. I can't wait to read Harry Potter.  Hopefully one day soon I can start the series.

 My Book:

Jake Higby is a character I created as a romantic partner for another character. Jake is one of the most popular guys in school, class president, and also the boyfriend of the character mentioned above.  Now the reason I brought Jake in the book is because I asked my niece what her favorite boy name is. (I will introduce Jake's girlfriend later in S.) Jake is an all-around nice guy who likes everybody.  He has a positive attitude, is very active, and likes P.D.A's!  Ewwh gross! Jake like many characters are just for fluff. They probably could be cut if I wanted them to but SHAKE would not be the same without Jake. (You'll find out about SHAKE later!)

What's For Dinner:  Eat Out kind of Night

Song of the Day:

JoJo- Leave- Get Out!