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Archive for the ‘Genre Savvy’ Category

  • 8 Literary Tattoos That Make My Heart Sigh

    Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

    Last week we looked at three literary tattoos that my children thought were wonderful, AND I was delighted to find out so many of YOU have tattoos!

    I also promised to give you my own list of personal favorites.

    So, here they are along with the books that inspired them. I heart these more than I can say….

     

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    The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien–the words at the base of her neck are elvish for “dream” (from Pinterest)

    We wants it, Preciouses.

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    “I shall not live in vain” by Emily Dickinson (from Pinterest) 

    An incredible poem. A dainty tattoo.

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    “Radiant as the sun” from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (from College Candy)

    So simple. So lovely. So powerful.

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    Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (from Pinterest) 

    I’ve seen one like this with glow-in-the-dark ink. Awesome, no?

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    Howl’s Moving Castle tattoo.

    Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (from Miyazaki: A Beautiful Mind)

    My dearest, gorgeous, perfect Howl… *girly sigh*

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    The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis (from Tumblr) 

    I want to tattoo this on my children…

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    The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling (from Pinterest)

    Um, seriously how adorable is that?

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    “And days went by like paper in the wind” (from Pinterest)

    Okay, so this last one might be from Tom Petty, but still…fabulous, yes? Methinks I need the dress to go with it.

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    Well? What do you think, Preciouses? They are quite fancy dancy, yes???

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    Posted in Games, Genre Savvy, Uncategorized | 15 Comments »

  • Tattoo a Book Upon My Heart…

    Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

    TRUE CONFESSION: I have a tattoo.

    Just a thin thread of an ivy strand I got when I was eighteen and away at college. It encircles my ankle and makes me smile whenever I notice it’s still there. They say that once you get a tattoo, it’s like an addiction and you want more, covering your skin with art and poetry and pictures of loved ones. But not me…

    At least, not usually.

    Every once in a while, though, I’ll come across a tattoo that charms my whimsical heart–such as my sister’s, which is written in pretty, elvish words and translates “Shall we dare the dragon?”  (Are you thinking she’s awesome? Because, yes she is. In fact, ten points to whoever can tell me what book that’s based on…) And while I’m totally convinced my sister’s tattoo is the coolest ever, I came across a link from Publisher’s Weekly for some other literary tattoos yesterday when I was flitting around the internet kingdom. (Thanks to one of my Book Blog friends, Mary at Bookhounds!)

    Check out these ones of The Little Prince, Alice in Wonderland, and Where the Wild Things Are (which my kids liked best)! What do you think, eh?

    Next week I’ll give you MY best-of-the-best list of literary tattoos. But in the meantime—do any of YOU have tattoos? *stares intently until you ‘fess up*

    And if not, have you ever wanted one? What would it be of???

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    What’s the mood noise of the moment? Christina Perri:  The Lonely

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    Posted in Games, Genre Savvy, Uncategorized | 12 Comments »

  • Six Degrees of Interesting

    Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

    While I rarely do roundups, bookish or otherwise, this week was all sorts of intriguing! So, I thought I should share and you could enjoy. (Just click the links as you please.) Because, seriously, how can we bypass the news that Jane Austen might’ve died from arsenic poisoning? I’m totally convinced.

    And doesn’t it only seem appropriate that, in light of BREAKING DAWN hitting theaters this week, we read Sarah Blackwood’s fantastic post in defense of Bella Swan’s character? Yes, it does. (note: post includes some swear wordage)

    Also coming out, in books not theaters (yet), is my friend Jay Asher and his coauthor Carolyn Mackler’s book, THE FUTURE OF US. It releases next week. You can read their silly interview here and my book review here.

    And for those of us who obsess over the HUNGER GAMES more than coffee itself, the Examiner offers us a Hunger Games Holiday Suggestion list of dystopian books that fans might enjoy. Um, yes please!

    Which leads us to the HUNGER GAMES MOVIE TRAILER!!! Good gracious it’s incredible! To the point that it exceeded all my expectations. Thank you Hunger Games movie people.

    And finally…I had a birthday this week along with my son. Which we combined into a vacation last week. One of the perks of homeschooling is that you get to take time away in the off-season when hotels are cheap and theme parks are empty (plus, we had free tickets!). Here are a few of my favorite moments:

    Sea World San Diego photo

     Yep, that’s me.

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    Shamu

     And that’s a giant Orca.

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    Mission Bay, San Diego

     And that’s Mission Bay.

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    vacation

     And that’s some strikingly handsome guy I have a rabid crush on.

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    PubCakes photo

    And this is PubCakes.

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    PubCakes cupcakes photo

    And they make beer batter cupcakes.

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    And here is my favorite birthday gift from Wolverine.

    Book photo of Robert Browning's Poetry

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    Posted in Book Reviews, Genre Savvy, Uncategorized | 9 Comments »

  • A Recipe for Autumn Breakfast Cake (plus The Princess Bride Monopoly)

    Wednesday, September 28th, 2011

    “- In the farthest corner of the Great Square -
     - in the highest building in the land -
     - deep in the deepest shadow -”
     - lies The Princess Bride Monopoly Board Game – HUZZAH!

    I love the book. I heart the movie. And now, I must own this piece of inconceivable genius. Seriously. Check out those game pieces. Westley’s mustache? Who wouldn’t want to venture around the board with that?

    princess bride monopoly

    Now that I’ve got you all hung up on the need for your own copy, I recall you to the fact that you should never get involved in a land war in Asia. Also? I owe you a recipe. Which is awesome because it means you can now play with Westley’s mustache while eating tasty cake. So, as you wish, this month’s delicacy comes from my dearest Sharla, who is as autumn obsessed as I am. It’s a perfect breakfast cake, all warm and flavorful with bananas and chocolate and mm…. You should try it with a caramel latte. While challenging your enemies to a duel. With swords. Or iocaine.

    A Recipe for Autumn Breakfast Cake

    • 2 ½ cups flour
    • 1 t. baking soda
    • ¾ t. salt
    • 1 ¼ cups sugar
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 ½ cups smashed bananas (3 bananas)
    • ½-3/4 cups semi sweet Chocolate Chips

    Directions

    1. Turn on oven to 325 degrees
    2. Grease two bread pans or a fluted cake tube
    3. Stir: flour, baking soda & salt
    4. In another bowl, beat: eggs, oil and sugar
    5. Add bananas and beat again
    6. Add flour mixture
    7. Stir in Chocolate chips
    8. Bake: 45-50 minutes

    And with that, my lovelies, I bid you all goodnight. Sleep well. I’ll most likely kill you in the morning.

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    What’s the mood noise of the moment? Sophie Zelmani

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    Posted in Games, Genre Savvy, Literary Classics | 13 Comments »

  • The Adoration of Jenna Fox (a book review)

    Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

    Well? How goes the end-of-summer reading? Mine is playing out quite nicely thank-you-very-much. In fact, I’ve got a new book recommendation for you! It’s Mary E. Pearson’s “The Adoration of Jenna Fox.” Is tres yummy.

    Jenna Fox wakes from a coma one day (in the not-so-distant future) without a single recollection of who she is, let alone who the people claiming to be her parents are. Kept on a strange diet and observed intently, to the point of paranoia, Jenna is coached to watch home videos that range from her childhood all the way up through her birthday a year ago, when the accident that took her friends’ lives nearly stole hers as well. Little by little, memories begin to inject their way into her consciousness, as do the voices from the dark emptiness asking her to help them. When Jenna discovers that her father is the inventor of a bio gel that can effectively (and illegally) create synthetic beings based upon a mere fraction of a human’s original genetic material, she gradually becomes suspicious.

    And believe me, she should be.

    What I liked:

    1. The voice. Ms. Pearson does a fantastic job, particularly in the way she continues to make Jenna’s voice fuller throughout the story as her personality, suspicions, and memories begin to emerge. This is first person, present tense done REALLY well.
    2. The poetic inserts (given as Jenna’s thoughts) at varied points throughout the book. So lovely.
    3. The premise. Me likes the creep factor.
    4. The layers that develop into intriguing story elements then catch you by surprise.
    5. The relationships. Believable and complicated.
    6. The pretty world Jenna is surrounded by. Sweet and subtle descriptions.

    So…yes. You should definitely read this one.

    No, seriously. What are you waiting for?

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    What’s the mood noise of the moment?  Edith Backlund

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    Posted in Book Reviews, Genre Savvy | 10 Comments »

  • Harry Potter Rabid Fan Pics

    Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

    Well, rabid fan peeps, did you see Harry Potter??? Annnnd? Did you love it?

    Peter and I did our rabid fan thing opening night (which mainly looks like me being the rabid fan and Pete being my arm-candy) with the most awesome groupies ever! Some of them had been there since the wee hours of the morning and STILL had energy! Like these ladies. Check out the pillow.

    I caught this group walking by us in full character, looking way too fabulous. Love the lady in the back!

    And lucky us—right after we got in line, THIS cool fan dropped by to hang out with us for the long wait. Hey, Jay Asher! (Sadly, I’m not in costume…blame the long work day. I do have my cool purple hair streaks though. They’re very “Tonks” looking, don’t ya think?)

    For much of the evening we held the honored place of Very Last in Line. Until THIS guy came and stole it. We dubbed him “random end of the line guy.” He embraced the title, so, of course, we had to get a pic with him.

    Once inside, the theater hosted a costume contest. These two almost won. Aren’t they adorable? I dig her hair.

    And apparently Batman is a huge Potter fan. Who knew?

    Finally, the show began. My sister, her hubs, and Pete and I sat in the front row with our cool Harry Potter 3D glasses.

    My sister cried. I ate gobs of buttered popcorn.

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    Posted in A bit of brag, Best & Worst Books, Genre Savvy | 20 Comments »

  • Moms: the Style Icons

    Sunday, May 8th, 2011

    I love this book trailer. Probably because I remember my brothers stumbling across teenage photos of my mom and being like, “Whoa, Mom! You were hot!” And of course I was like, “Your mother let you out of the house in a skirt that short?!” And that’s when it suddenly occurred to us that, yes, mom actually had a life before us kids came along.

    And you know what? My mom is still hot.

    So here’s a very Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom ladies out there. Including my own. ;o)

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    Posted in Book Trailers, Genre Savvy | 10 Comments »

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