Thank you guys for the comments- I had completely forgotten about announcing the winners on the blog!
For the Lauren Henderson contest (Kiss Me Kill Me and Kisses and Lies): MssJos
For the Maria V. Snyder contest (Storm Glass): scottsgal
And for the Lisa Ann Sandell contest (The Song of the Sparrow and A Map of the Known World ARC): Amelia
All congratulations emails have been sent.
I wish there were more books to give away, especially for the more dedicated entrants. I'll try to have some more contests in the future.
Thanks to all who participated and contributed! I'm actually planning on sending thank you emails to our guest bloggers and writers once I catch up on everything, so if you'd like to leave a personal thank you comment or something along those lines, I'll add it to the email.
always,
~bella aire~
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
The College Frenzy
The results are in for our little polls. What did I learn? Hmmm. We've got a lot of teen readers, but also a decent amount of 20 up, I think. And we're nearly all female. Hopefully our Geek Boy Maybe will add a bit more of a male following. I'm pretty content with the ages, though.
I was brainstorming last night, trying to come up with some new ideas for the blog. What do a lot of teens have in common? I came up with: college. Older teens, in particular, are hit with the college frenzy that sweeps America (and perhaps other countries, as well).
It is time to give a little info up about me. I am a teen. I've never stated that outright on the blog to avoid stereotyping/bias, but if most of you guys are teens, too, I don't mind owning up. I am immersed in the college craze right now. Which schools to visit? Which classes to take next year? How to buff up my resume? So many questions. Though I can't answer most of them for my readers, there is one question I can answer: Which college-related books to read?
I've decided to include college-related books in my reviews. This way, readers will know which ones to read and which to avoid.
If there is something else college-related that you guys would like me to write about, I'm open to new ideas. Comment away! Let me know what you think. If its a bad idea, I can always pull the plug on it.
always,
~bella aire~
Four More Contests
This is a Sweet Sixteen contest and this is for a multitude of ARCs.
And check out this one- a first ever contest!
Plus this one for The Summer I Turned Pretty.
And check out this one- a first ever contest!
Plus this one for The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols (Review by Bella Aire)
Synopsis:
John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....
All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.
John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....
Review:
This book blew my mind. The story, the writing, the characters…everything was just...wow. Kirkus didn't exactly agree with me but that's okay. We'll agree to disagree. And my review here will cancel out that one. Because obviously Kirkus and I are on the same level of reviewing, right? I mean, check it out here- Kirkus and I side by side. So there you have it. I'm really tempted to add a little winky smiley face right here, but since I'm Kirkus' main competitor, I really have to make sure I look professional at all times.
What? You're not completely convinced that Kirkus and I are reviewing equals? That's okay too, because if my review alone doesn't cancel out that one, here are a multitude that will.
Anyway, back to the review.
In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if Meg and John would really click; they were so strained together. However, as time progressed, their connection became more apparent and far stronger than I had originally realized.
More importantly, Meg and John truly have an effect on each other. This is far rarer in books than many would expect. How many fictional couples really change each other? Like some chemicals when thrown together, Meg and John (especially Meg) really create a reaction. And speaking of reactions- they have plenty of a physical sort of chemistry reaction, too. What adds an air of suspense to this novel, though, is the question of whether this reaction they create will produce a positive or negative effect on their personas.
Both Meg and John need something. And neither really knows what it is though they both try to find substitutions for what’s missing through various activities. John dedicates himself to the police force, and Meg dedicates herself to living wild. But what will really bring them the peace they seek?
More importantly, Meg and John truly have an effect on each other. This is far rarer in books than many would expect. How many fictional couples really change each other? Like some chemicals when thrown together, Meg and John (especially Meg) really create a reaction. And speaking of reactions- they have plenty of a physical sort of chemistry reaction, too. What adds an air of suspense to this novel, though, is the question of whether this reaction they create will produce a positive or negative effect on their personas.
Both Meg and John need something. And neither really knows what it is though they both try to find substitutions for what’s missing through various activities. John dedicates himself to the police force, and Meg dedicates herself to living wild. But what will really bring them the peace they seek?
Perhaps there were a few cliches in Going Too Far, but they were written so well and in such a fresh voice, that they didn't really bother me. Which is saying something, since I'm not really the world's biggest cliche fan.
There's a word I've been wanting to use in one of my reviews for quite some time now: enticing. But I hadn't really found a book that really fit the word until I read Going Too Far. So here it is: Jennifer Echol's latest novel is enticing.
Purchase Going Too Far here.
And check out Jennifer Echol's site here!
always,
~bella aire~
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
I <3 Your Blog
I won something! Unfortunately it has taken me awhile to get to it since I was in the midst of Geek Fest when I was nominated. Things got a little crazy. Thanks to Lisette of TV and Book Addict , Book Junkie, and Nadine-Stella of Starry Night for the award.
Here are the rules to keep the award moving:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!
The blogs that I'm choosing are:
Congratulations! It may take me a day or two to contact you, but I'll get to it ASAP. I promise. If you find out before I contact you, please leave me a comment to let me know.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Our Very Own Geek Boy (Maybe)
After reading Jody Gehrman's guest blog, many readers may have a renewed interest in geek boys. So I believe now is the perfect time to announce that the NSCGs will be having a guy friend of mine reviewing for us on a trial basis. If things work out, he will be our first Geek Boy.
I'd love to hear what you guys think of this, so comment away!
I'd love to hear what you guys think of this, so comment away!
So many giveaways...
MAX by James Patterson (A double review by Angela and Bella Aire)
2
James Patterson's heroine, Maximum Ride, returns in the next book in the series, Max. This time Max and the gang- Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel- are putting on shows to raise awareness about the environment when a new version of bad guys, the M-Geeks, show up, led by the nefarious Mr. Chu. Soon, in the Pacific Ocean, fish are dying and ships are being destroyed, and Max's mom is kidnapped. To save her, Max and her winged family are going to have to go where they've never gone before- underwater. All the while, Max finds that her relationship with Fang is getting serious, her bird/human family is still gaining new powers, and her authority over her flock and her life is getting challenged more and more often.
This book is definitely the best Maximum Ride yet. I am so happy that things finally got moving between Max and Fang (they are perfect for each other!). Angels character also developed and got a lot more interesting in Max. However, I am getting a little tired of the save-the-environment plotline (even though I totally support it), especially since the bad guy was rather boring. Even so, Max is still her sarcastic, kick-butt self, and the book is still entertaining and funny, so I suggest you go get Max as soon as possible!
-Angela
One thing about James Patterson is certain. He knows how to write! Anyone who has read any of his other works have to marvel with me over his range. He can write everything from teenage mutant fiction to sweet adult love stories. It's truly impressive.
However, even the best of authors can have a flop book here and there. But I am happy to say that this is not the case with James Patterson's Max. Max is, as Angela puts it, the best book in the Maximum Ride series- a bestselling series that boasts an "all ages" range (again with the amazing range). Though most of the relationships really grew in this novel, one relationship really outshone the rest: that of Max and Fang. The two finally start acting upon/reacting to the connection that they shared.
Thus said, this book will please all Fang lovers immensely. For all the girls who have been dreaming about Mr. Tall, Dark, and Winged, your prayers have been answered.
Another interesting subplot is the leadership struggle that Max experiences. Is she doing the right thing? Doing enough? Too much? Trying to find a correct balance of power is a crucial factor for Max.
I love that James Patterson has created a strong female leader as his heroine. But you know what I love even more? I adore that he has created a male romantic role who doesn't always have to dominate or who becomes sullen when a female takes control. Sure, there have been a few struggles regarding this before, but all struggles were between two people and not between and man and a woman. What I guess I'm trying to say is that gender never really seems to be a determining factor in whether or not Max is a strong leader (which she just so happens to be).
For first time Max readers, I highly recommend that you begin with the first Maximum Ride novel. This is not one of those series that you can really pick up in the middle. And for old fans? Do not be deterred by The Final Warning (which was, in my opinon, the weak link of the Max series). Patterson's latest more than makes up for it.
~bella aire~
Purchase MAX here.
Buy the first Maximum Ride novel, The Angel Experiment, here.
Or you can visit James Patterson's website!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Last Chance to WIN the Kiss Contest!
This contest includes both Kiss Me Kill Me and Kisses and Lies by Lauren Henderson. It ends tonight, so enter while there's still time!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The WINNER of How to Hook a Hottie...
...is Laina! A "Congratulations!" email has been sent.
If you didn't win this contest, there are plenty more! The Geek Fest contest list is on the right side of our website. Getting those extra entries (like The Book Girl) will really tip the odds in your favor...
If you didn't win this contest, there are plenty more! The Geek Fest contest list is on the right side of our website. Getting those extra entries (like The Book Girl) will really tip the odds in your favor...
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Books I've Read Meme
The following meme is from Chelsea of The Page Flipper.
The following list of books teens love, books teens should read, and books adults who serve teens should know about was compiled IN ABSOLUTELY NO SCIENTIFIC MANNER and should be taken with a very large grain of salt.
Instructions:
Put an “X” next to the books you’ve read
Put a “+” next to the books you LOVE
Put a “#” next to the books you plan on reading
Tally your “X”s at the bottom
Share with your friends!
1. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy / Douglas Adams #
2. Kit’s Wilderness / David Almond
3. Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian / Sherman Alexie
4. Speak / Laurie Halse Anderson X+
5. Feed / M.T. Anderson
6. Flowers in the Attic / V.C. Andrews #
7. 13 Reasons Why / Jay Asher#
8. Am I Blue? / Marion Dane Bauer (editor)
9. Audrey Wait! / Robin Benway #
10. Weetzie Bat / Francesca Lia Block X
11. Tangerine / Edward Bloor X
12. Forever / Judy Blume X
13. What I Saw and How I Lied / Judy Blundell #
14. Tyrell / Coe Booth
15. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants / Ann Brashares X
16. A Great and Terrible Beauty / Libba Bray X+
17. The Princess Diaries / Meg Cabot X+
18. The Stranger / Albert Camus
19. Ender’s Game / Orson Scott Card #
20. Postcards from No Man’s Land / Aidan Chambers
21. Perks of Being a Wallflower / Stephen Chbosky #
22. And Then There Were None / Agatha Christie
23. Gingerbread / Rachel Cohn #
24. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist / Rachel Cohn and David Levithan X+
25. Artemis Fowl (series) / Eoin Colfer X
26. The Hunger Games / Suzanne Collins X+
27. The Midwife’s Apprentice / Karen Cushman
28. The Truth About Forever / Sarah Dessen X+
29. Little Brother / Cory Doctorow
30. A Northern Light / Jennifer Donnelly X
31. Tears of a Tiger / Sharon Draper #
32. The House of the Scorpion / Nancy Farmer X
33. Breathing Underwater / Alex Flinn #
34. Stardust / Neil Gaiman X
35. Annie on My Mind / Nancy Garden
36. What Happened to Cass McBride / Gail Giles
37. Fat Kid Rules the World / K.L. Going #
38. Lord of the Flies / William Golding X
39. Looking for Alaska / John Green X+
40. Bronx Masquerade / Nikki Grimes X
41. Out of the Dust / Karen Hesse X
42. Hoot / Carl Hiaasen
43. The Outsiders / S.E. Hinton
44. Crank / Ellen Hopkins #
45 The First Part Last / Angela Johnson
46. Blood and Chocolate / Annette Curtis Klause X+
47. Arrow’s Flight / Mercedes Lackey
48. Hattie Big Sky / Kirby Larson
49. To Kill a Mockingbird / Harper Lee X+
50. Boy Meets Boy / David Levithan
51. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks / E. Lockhart X+
52. The Giver / Lois Lowry X
53. Number the Stars / Lois Lowry X
54. Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie / David Lubar
55. Inexcusable / Chris Lynch
56. The Earth, My Butt and Other Big, Round Things / Carolyn Mackler #
57. Dragonsong / Anne McCaffrey X
58. White Darkness / Geraldine McCaughrean
59. Sold / Patricia McCormick #
60. Jellicoe Road / Melina Marchetta #
61. Wicked Lovely / Melissa Marr X+
62. Twilight / Stephenie Meyer X+
63. Dairy Queen / Catherine Murdock X
64. Fallen Angels / Walter Dean Myers
65. Monster / Walter Dean Myers
66. Step From Heaven / An Na
67. Mama Day / Gloria Naylor
68. The Keys to the Kingdom (series) / Garth Nix X
69. Sabriel / Garth Nix X
70. Airborn / Kenneth Oppel
71. Eragon / Christopher Paolini X
72. Hatchet / Gary Paulsen X
73. Life As We Knew It / Susan Beth Pfeffer #
74. The Golden Compass / Phillip Pullman X+
75. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging / Louise Rennison X
76. The Lightning Thief / Rick Riordan
77. Always Running: La Vida Loca / Luis Rodriguez
78. how i live now / Meg Rosoff #
79. Harry Potter (series) / J.K. Rowling X+
80. Holes / Louis Sachar X+
81. Catcher in the Rye / J. D. Salinger X+
82. Push / Sapphire #
83. Persepolis / Marjane Satrapi X
84. Unwind / Neil Shusterman #
85. Coldest Winter Ever / Sister Souljah
86. Stargirl / Jerry Spinelli X+
87. Chanda’s Secrets / Allan Stratton
88. Tale of One Bad Rat / Brian Talbot
89. Rats Saw God / Rob Thomas
90. Lord of the Rings / J.R.R. Tolkien X+
91. Stuck in Neutral / Terry Trueman
92. Gossip Girl / Cecily Von Ziegesar X
93. Uglies / Scott Westerfeld X
94. Every Time a Rainbow Dies / Rita Williams-Garcia
95. Pedro and Me / Judd Winick
96. Hard Love / Ellen Wittlinger #
97. American Born Chinese / Gene Luen Yang #
98. Elsewhere / Gabrielle Zevin X
99. I am the Messenger / Markus Zusak #
100. The Book Thief / Markus Zusak X
So that's a little under half, I think. Very interesting. Lots of good books...
Another Winner and a Closing Contest
Our winner for the What Would Emma Do? contest is...TruBlu93! I've sent out the "Congratulations!" email, so make sure to respond to that.
There are still a few ongoing contests (listed on the right side of our blog) for those who didn't win (or even for those who did), so make sure to try those out before they close.
Here is one for Tina Ferraro's How to Hook a Hottie that is ending tonight!
There are still a few ongoing contests (listed on the right side of our blog) for those who didn't win (or even for those who did), so make sure to try those out before they close.
Here is one for Tina Ferraro's How to Hook a Hottie that is ending tonight!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Didn't Win Eyes Like Stars in Geek Fest?
That's okay, because here is another chance. Six galleys are being given away at the new Theatre Illuminata site! The contest will be open until tomorrow at midnight, so don't waste any time...
I'll openly admit that I love the idea of this contest- so adorable!
Good luck, everyone!
I'll openly admit that I love the idea of this contest- so adorable!
Good luck, everyone!
More Winners!
For the Laurie Faria Stolarz contest (666/Love is Hell): Silvia
And for the Lisa Mantchev contest (Eyes Like Stars): Sara
"Congratulations" emails have been sent.
I know that there were a lot of hopeful entrants for these contest, but there are plenty of other contests left if you didn't win this one. The Geek Fest contest list is on the right side of our website. Again, getting those extra entries (like all of our winners so far) will really tip the odds in your favor...
And for the Lisa Mantchev contest (Eyes Like Stars): Sara
"Congratulations" emails have been sent.
I know that there were a lot of hopeful entrants for these contest, but there are plenty of other contests left if you didn't win this one. The Geek Fest contest list is on the right side of our website. Again, getting those extra entries (like all of our winners so far) will really tip the odds in your favor...
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Last Chance to WIN These Books...
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev in this contest.
And 666 or Love is Hell in this contest.
These contests end in a few hours, so make sure to enter while there is still time!
And 666 or Love is Hell in this contest.
These contests end in a few hours, so make sure to enter while there is still time!
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (Review by Bella Aire)
Synopsis:
In Mary's world, there are simple truths.
The Sisterhood always knows best.
The Guardians will protect and serve.
The Unconsecrated will never relent.
And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.
But slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.
Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?
Review:This book came as a huge surprise to me. Pinpointing why, though, is a bit difficult since I try to approach all books with as little bias as possible. The cover didn’t do much for me; it has a bit of a dark, depressed undertone to it. Dark, depressed books aren’t my style in general, but as stated above, I do my best to avoid bias. So assuming this didn’t affect my judgment, we’ll move on to the summary. The summary was a bit out-there for me. It seemed to be full of a “the world is ending” premise which works for some, but again, generally not for me.
Normally I wouldn’t pick up a book to review that seems as contrary to my temperament as The Forest of Hands and Teeth (I never said I wasn’t biased in choosing my books- just not in reading them). But the feedback it was getting…the light but excited buzz surrounding this novel caught my interest. So I decided to try it out.
So what exactly surprised me? Truthfully, it was how over-the-top amazing I found The Forest! I don’t advertise my ratings in reviews. In fact, they are outlawed at the NSCG blog. I do this because everyone sees books differently- how many of my favorite books have gotten one or two stars on Amazon from a few of the customers? But I do like to keep a private record of my personal ratings for books.
I’m going to emphasize how incredible this book is by breaking my little rule and posting a few of my ratings today.
I gave The Forest of Hands and Teeth five stars. I cannot adequately explain just how rare five stars are from me in my personal ratings. I started reviewing seriously in October, and in the past five months I have only found four books to which I have given fives (which books? To name: North of Beautiful, If I Stay, The Secret Life of Prince Charming, and Eyes Like Stars (giveaway here!)- two of which have not had their reviews posted yet). Note: this is not to say I haven’t had some great 4.8s, etc out there. For a five star, it’s not enough that I didn’t feel the need for any changes- I also have to be such a fan that I feel the need to go out and defend the
book of changes.
What really shocked me about The Forest is that its five-star rating seemed to have come out of nowhere. For my other fives, I was slightly biased (I'll admit) because I had approached the books with expectation and some excitement. North of Beautiful was by one of my favorite authors, If I Stay had already gotten a ton of hype, Prince Charming was written by an award winning author, and Eyes Like Stars was right up my alley with all the fantasy. So I already had a good idea that I was going to like them.
I started reading The Forest of Hands and Teeth in a more professional manner by doing the unbiased thing. So its five star hit me in the gut.
My little ramble will end here so that I may get to the point. The Forest of Hands and Teeth is an eerie, unpredictable, and slightly gloomy page turner. Not at all my “type”.
But I couldn’t help but love it.
Why? I’m going to go ahead and give all the credit to Mary, the heroine. Her enduring hope will hit readers and stick with them, as it did with me. Even in the darkest of situations, Mary has this sense of hope that brings light to any circumstance. Her dreams set her apart from the slew of heroines I’ve read about in the past year. These dreams are both her saving grace and her
downfall.
But it feels wrong to give all the praise to Mary without mentioning her obviously talented creator, Carrie Ryan. So thank you, Carrie, for writing such a remarkable debut novel (that’s right- this is her first published book). I will certainly be looking for more of your work in the future.
~bella aire~
The WINNER of the Zoe Marriott Contest
...is The Book Girl! A "congratulations" email has been sent.
The Book Girl won both Daughter of the Flames and The Swan Kingdom from our first Geek Fest contest. There are plenty of other contests left, though, if you didn't win this one. The Geek Fest contest list is on the right side of our website. Getting those extra entries (like The Book Girl) will really tip the odds in your favor...
The Book Girl won both Daughter of the Flames and The Swan Kingdom from our first Geek Fest contest. There are plenty of other contests left, though, if you didn't win this one. The Geek Fest contest list is on the right side of our website. Getting those extra entries (like The Book Girl) will really tip the odds in your favor...
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Last Chance to WIN Daughter of the Flames and The Swan Kingdom...
...by Zoe Marriott. It ends today, so there are still a few hours left to enter. The giveaway is here.
WIN The Song of the Sparrow and an ARC of A Map of The Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell!
I loved Lisa Ann Sandell's beautiful The Song of the Sparrow. 
They say no land remains to be discovered, no continent is left unexplored. But the whole world is out there, waiting, just waiting for me. I want to do things-I want to walk the rain-soaked streets of London, and drink mint tea in Casablanca. I want to wander the wastelands of the Gobi desert and see a yak. I think my life's ambition is to see a yak. I want to bargain for trinkets in an Arab market in some distant, dusty land. There's so much. But, most of all, I want to do things that will mean something.
Enter by leaving a comment below including your email address. The winner will receive a both The Song of the Sparrow and an ARC of A Map of the Known World! If you are uncomfortable leaving your email address below, feel free to shoot me an email at not_so_cg[at]yahoo[dot]com instead with the subject "Lisa Ann Sandell Contest".
Extra Entries:
+1 Leave a comment on Lisa's guest blog
+1 Visit Lisa's website and tell me about one thing you learned there about Lisa or her books in your comment
+1 If you become a NSCG follower
+1 If you become a NSCG reader by subscribing to our myspace blog (www.myspace.com/not_so_cg)
+2 If you were a follower before Geek Fest
+2 If you were a myspace subscribed reader before Geek Fest
+4 If you link to this contest in a post, sidebar, etc (a link to this must be left in your comment)
Make sure to leave all extra entries specifics in your comment/email.
This contest closes this next Saturday (March 21th). The winner will be announced and contacted sometime during the week following.
Synopsis:
Since the days of King Arthur, there have been poems and paintings created in her name. She is Elaine of Ascolat, the Lady of Shalott, and now there is a book all her own. The year is 490 A.D. and 16-year-old Elaine has a temperament to match her fiery red hair. Living on a military base with her father, brothers, and the rest of Arthur's army, Elaine pines for the handsome Lancelot, and longs for a female friend. But when the cruel, beautiful Gwynivere arrives, Elaine is confronted with startling emotions of jealousy and rivalry. Can Elaine find the strength to survive the birth of a kingdom?
And I can't wait to read A Map of the Known World, which sounds absolutely incredible.
Synopsis:
Cora Bradley dreams of escape. Ever since her reckless older brother, Nate, died in a car crash, Cora has felt suffocated by her small town and high school. She seeks solace in drawi
ng beautiful maps, envisioning herself in exotic locales. When Cora begins to fall for Damian, the handsome, brooding boy who was in the car with Nate the night he died, she uncovers her brother's secret artistic life and realizes she had more in common with him than she ever imagined. With stunning lyricism, Sandell weaves a tale of one girl's journey through the redemptive powers of art, friendship, and love.
ng beautiful maps, envisioning herself in exotic locales. When Cora begins to fall for Damian, the handsome, brooding boy who was in the car with Nate the night he died, she uncovers her brother's secret artistic life and realizes she had more in common with him than she ever imagined. With stunning lyricism, Sandell weaves a tale of one girl's journey through the redemptive powers of art, friendship, and love. They say no land remains to be discovered, no continent is left unexplored. But the whole world is out there, waiting, just waiting for me. I want to do things-I want to walk the rain-soaked streets of London, and drink mint tea in Casablanca. I want to wander the wastelands of the Gobi desert and see a yak. I think my life's ambition is to see a yak. I want to bargain for trinkets in an Arab market in some distant, dusty land. There's so much. But, most of all, I want to do things that will mean something.
Sounds like something you'd be interested in? Entering for this contest is easy, and there are tons of ways to rack up extra entries.
Enter by leaving a comment below including your email address. The winner will receive a both The Song of the Sparrow and an ARC of A Map of the Known World! If you are uncomfortable leaving your email address below, feel free to shoot me an email at not_so_cg[at]yahoo[dot]com instead with the subject "Lisa Ann Sandell Contest".
Extra Entries:
+1 Leave a comment on Lisa's guest blog
+1 Visit Lisa's website and tell me about one thing you learned there about Lisa or her books in your comment
+1 If you become a NSCG follower
+1 If you become a NSCG reader by subscribing to our myspace blog (www.myspace.com/not_so_cg)
+2 If you were a follower before Geek Fest
+2 If you were a myspace subscribed reader before Geek Fest
+4 If you link to this contest in a post, sidebar, etc (a link to this must be left in your comment)
Make sure to leave all extra entries specifics in your comment/email.
This contest closes this next Saturday (March 21th). The winner will be announced and contacted sometime during the week following.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Geekfest: Could There Be a More Beautiful Name? by Lisa Ann Sandell
Lisa Ann Sandell is the author of the lyrical The Song of the Sparrow, which has earned many starred reviews. Her vivid debut novel, The Weight of the Sky, was also well received. Her next novel, A Map of the Known World, comes out on April 15, 2009. Check in later today to have a chance at winning both The Song of the Sparrow and and ARC of A Map of the Known World in a Geek Fest contest!
Geekfest: Could there be a more beautiful name?
Cardboard. Marigold yellow and white. I remember a marigold yellow and white cardboard box filled with kitty litter, or some other granular substance that looked and felt and smelled a lot like kitty litter (minus the actual cat poo). It was a Chanukah present from my parents, the best one ever. A cardboard box filled with kitty litter and fossils. FOSSILS! As in, fragments of dinosaur bone and trilobite imprints and ancient plant remains. OMG. A box of FOSSILS buried in kitty litter! And it came with a little guidebook, a brush, and a magnifying glass. I couldn’t imagine a better present, not for Chanukah or my birthday or Christmas or National Digging Up Dinosaurs Day—if only that were a holiday.
Well, as soon as my parents presented this magical box to me and I tore off the dreidel-covered wrapping paper, I began picking through the bits of gray, slightly smelly pieces of gravel, or litter box filler, excitedly unearthing piece after piece of prehistoric treasure. I flipped through the book; identified each piece I found, carefully dusting off the microscopic specks of dust; and stuck a small square sticker on whatever flat surface I could find. I painstakingly labeled those stickers with neatly drawn numbers, then pulled out a black and white freckled composition notebook and wrote the corresponding number alongside the name of the artifact. 1. Dinosaur bone (late Triassic – late Cretaceous?). 2. Trilobite (early Cambrian – lower Paleozoic), etc. Finally, I lovingly stored each fossil in a long, rectangular red velvet case, which I stored in the drawer of my night table, at my bedside, so I could examine and caress my precious finds whenever I wanted.
Well, as soon as my parents presented this magical box to me and I tore off the dreidel-covered wrapping paper, I began picking through the bits of gray, slightly smelly pieces of gravel, or litter box filler, excitedly unearthing piece after piece of prehistoric treasure. I flipped through the book; identified each piece I found, carefully dusting off the microscopic specks of dust; and stuck a small square sticker on whatever flat surface I could find. I painstakingly labeled those stickers with neatly drawn numbers, then pulled out a black and white freckled composition notebook and wrote the corresponding number alongside the name of the artifact. 1. Dinosaur bone (late Triassic – late Cretaceous?). 2. Trilobite (early Cambrian – lower Paleozoic), etc. Finally, I lovingly stored each fossil in a long, rectangular red velvet case, which I stored in the drawer of my night table, at my bedside, so I could examine and caress my precious finds whenever I wanted.
Oh my goodness, I was in geek heaven. A special corner of geek heaven—DINOSAUR geek heaven. And I couldn’t have been happier. Of course, I couldn’t let on to anyone I knew outside my immediate family that this was the best gift I’d ever gotten. In fact, I’m not sure anybody outside my immediate family even knew about my affinity for dinosaurs, aside from one or two bffs. And I didn’t get any less geeky as I grew older and moved into high school.
There, I was a full-fledged geek: top in my class in calculus, a chemistry lover, and…in the marching band (yes, I went to band camp). But I did everything I could to mask my geekiness. I didn’t necessarily succeed at camouflaging myself as one of the non-geeky, but not for lack of trying. I tried to dress trendily (fail), I tried to cover up my good grades, and I tried to convince myself that marching band was cool. Uh huh. Because to admit to geekiness was to admit to weakness, to loserdom, and I certainly wasn’t prepared to do that. At least not willingly.
Once I got to college, however, everything changed. There, I found that to be smart, to have “geeky” interests was actually cool. It was like four years of opposite day. And gradually I began to embrace my closeted geeky side. I learned how to recite the prologue of the Canterbury Tales in Middle English from memory; this bumped me up the geek-o-meter by about fourteen thousand points. Suddenly, I was kind of cool. I majored in medieval English literature and focused on Arthurian legend. Girls who love the mythology of King Arthur are not often considered cool, but in my college English department, it wasn’t even a question. The research that went into my senior thesis led to my second book, Song of the Sparrow. Snap!
And when I left college, suddenly, I realized, the geekier one was, the better. The more I read, the more I knew; the more Star Trek I watched, the more I had to talk about with my friends. Now, as a tried and true geek—still a space and dinosaur lover—and a fan of Battlestar Galactica, when people ask me if I watched the original Battlestar Galactica series (which I didn’t), I feel a pang of anxiety because maybe…maybe I’m not geeky enough. Ah, how things change. For the better!
So, I say: Geeks, stand strong. Wear your fossil-loving, dinosaur-hearting sci-fi nerdiness like the badge of honor that it is! And, geeks, unite!
Confessions of a Dabbler in All Things Geek by Karilee
Karilee is the newest NSCG reviewer. Below, learn what makes her a true Not So Closet Geek.
1. I enjoy, I may even thrive on, my title as geek.
2. I tell myself (and naturally believe), that people who consider the label “geek” to be license for them to mock us are merely jealous of our undeniable coolness.
3. I am, and probably always be, a member of both band and orchestra. Not only do I get the endearing title of Band Geek, but also the exceedingly awesome title Orch Dork.
4. Despite my uncontrollable love for listening and playing music, I have yet to be able to conquer and string instruments. Believe you me, I have tried. I have also failed miserably. I am what you may call string challenged.
5. I listen to classical music. I enjoy classical music. And I have also been known to “break-it-down” to said classical music.
6. I often use the word “said” when commenting on things that I had previously mentioned.
7. I also use lovely words/word combinations such as dapper, come hither, go thither, and (my personal favorite) FMaj7. The latter I used a replacement for the word face. Get it??? (an F major seventh chord is spelled F-A-C-E)
8. I am the master of all jokes, cheesy. For example: What do you call cheese that isn’t yours??? NACHO CHEESE!!! (No pun was intended when the cheesy joke I used for an example happened to be pertaining to cheese.)
9. I like to consider myself a cheese connoisseur. In other words, I am one of those rare cheese geeks. If ever I were to move to a different state, my number one choice would be Wisconsin.
10. I have a funky hat collection. I have an oh-so-lovely lobster hat, a hat covered in sequins, a smiley-face hat, a pharaoh hat, an Elmo beanie, and a knitted hat with tassels and a yarn puff on top. All I really need now is a cheese wedge hat…
11. I enjoy school just as much, if not more than, I love not being in school.
12. In school I particularly enjoy the math and sciences, therefore dubbing me a science/math geek.
13. I practically go nuts every time I learn to do something new and cool on my calculator. (I’m not even talking about the games on the calculator!)
14. I currently possess (and plan to acquire more) two science humor shirts. One says “Carol never wore her safety goggles…………now she doesn’t need them” and the other has a wonderful stick figure holding an Erlenmeyer flask and a calculator and says “STAND BACK. I’m going to try SCIENCE!”
15. I love math so much that I took two math classes last year. Both were taught by the same teacher. That teacher is now very nearly my favorite person EVER. My fellow geeks and I bought her a TI N-spire last year for her birthday. (For those of you who do not know, a TI N-spire is like the calculator of all calculators.)
16. Despite my lack of multi-cultural-ness I am a devout member of the multi-cultural diversity club at school. There’s just something about watching foreign films with all my closest geek friends.
17. I am trying to struggle my way through as many of the essential classics as possible. Too bad these darn young-adult books keep distracting me!
18. I have a very strong obsession for music. Not really rap or hip hop or R&B, but I’m a sucker for oldies, classic rock, alternative, and for weird stuff that people other than me rarely listen to. (such as screamo, hard-core techno) This obsession is so strong that, upon hearing merely the first tidbits of a bass line or the sound of the guitar or the singer, I can pretty much identify most songs by either: artist, album, title, or sometimes even year.
19. I actually have an album by the Carpenters on my ipod.
20. I enjoy musical theater, opera, and movies. I love it even more when movies become musicals or vice versa (for example: Sweeny Todd became a movie, and the lovely 80s movie 9 to 5 starring Dolly Pardon, is on its way to becoming a musical)
21. I have a great, great love and appreciation for the wonderful music of Mr. Andrew Bird. I have all of his albums (including the instrumental ones, and the Bowl of Fire albums) and my number one goal as of now is to one day see him in concert. (My love for his music isn’t necessarily geeky, but it does assert my former statement about liking music most of which most people have never heard.
22. I have a thing for leather-bound books. I don’t necessarily like to read them; rather I prefer to bask in their beauty.
23. I prefer to root for the under-dog. Maybe that could be because I’m always the under-dog...
24. I don’t actually need glasses (oh the joys of having 20-20 vision), but I would love to get a pair without actual lenses because I think they would make me look smarter.
25. It sincerely bothers me when people speak or write incorrect grammar. However, I often times make the very mistakes I criticize others for making.
26. Just in case you haven't noticed from my first review and from the rest of this post, I have been known to use and create some spectacular hyphenated-modifiers.
While I have many other geeky quirks, listing 26 is enough for Geekfest. So, to all you fellow Geeks out there, don’t ever let anyone make you feel like being a geek is a bad thing, and continue to flaunt your glorious geeky ways!
Sincerely,
Karilee (a well-rounded geek)
1. I enjoy, I may even thrive on, my title as geek.
2. I tell myself (and naturally believe), that people who consider the label “geek” to be license for them to mock us are merely jealous of our undeniable coolness.
3. I am, and probably always be, a member of both band and orchestra. Not only do I get the endearing title of Band Geek, but also the exceedingly awesome title Orch Dork.
4. Despite my uncontrollable love for listening and playing music, I have yet to be able to conquer and string instruments. Believe you me, I have tried. I have also failed miserably. I am what you may call string challenged.
5. I listen to classical music. I enjoy classical music. And I have also been known to “break-it-down” to said classical music.
6. I often use the word “said” when commenting on things that I had previously mentioned.
7. I also use lovely words/word combinations such as dapper, come hither, go thither, and (my personal favorite) FMaj7. The latter I used a replacement for the word face. Get it??? (an F major seventh chord is spelled F-A-C-E)
8. I am the master of all jokes, cheesy. For example: What do you call cheese that isn’t yours??? NACHO CHEESE!!! (No pun was intended when the cheesy joke I used for an example happened to be pertaining to cheese.)
9. I like to consider myself a cheese connoisseur. In other words, I am one of those rare cheese geeks. If ever I were to move to a different state, my number one choice would be Wisconsin.
10. I have a funky hat collection. I have an oh-so-lovely lobster hat, a hat covered in sequins, a smiley-face hat, a pharaoh hat, an Elmo beanie, and a knitted hat with tassels and a yarn puff on top. All I really need now is a cheese wedge hat…
11. I enjoy school just as much, if not more than, I love not being in school.
12. In school I particularly enjoy the math and sciences, therefore dubbing me a science/math geek.
13. I practically go nuts every time I learn to do something new and cool on my calculator. (I’m not even talking about the games on the calculator!)
14. I currently possess (and plan to acquire more) two science humor shirts. One says “Carol never wore her safety goggles…………now she doesn’t need them” and the other has a wonderful stick figure holding an Erlenmeyer flask and a calculator and says “STAND BACK. I’m going to try SCIENCE!”
15. I love math so much that I took two math classes last year. Both were taught by the same teacher. That teacher is now very nearly my favorite person EVER. My fellow geeks and I bought her a TI N-spire last year for her birthday. (For those of you who do not know, a TI N-spire is like the calculator of all calculators.)
16. Despite my lack of multi-cultural-ness I am a devout member of the multi-cultural diversity club at school. There’s just something about watching foreign films with all my closest geek friends.
17. I am trying to struggle my way through as many of the essential classics as possible. Too bad these darn young-adult books keep distracting me!
18. I have a very strong obsession for music. Not really rap or hip hop or R&B, but I’m a sucker for oldies, classic rock, alternative, and for weird stuff that people other than me rarely listen to. (such as screamo, hard-core techno) This obsession is so strong that, upon hearing merely the first tidbits of a bass line or the sound of the guitar or the singer, I can pretty much identify most songs by either: artist, album, title, or sometimes even year.
19. I actually have an album by the Carpenters on my ipod.
20. I enjoy musical theater, opera, and movies. I love it even more when movies become musicals or vice versa (for example: Sweeny Todd became a movie, and the lovely 80s movie 9 to 5 starring Dolly Pardon, is on its way to becoming a musical)
21. I have a great, great love and appreciation for the wonderful music of Mr. Andrew Bird. I have all of his albums (including the instrumental ones, and the Bowl of Fire albums) and my number one goal as of now is to one day see him in concert. (My love for his music isn’t necessarily geeky, but it does assert my former statement about liking music most of which most people have never heard.
22. I have a thing for leather-bound books. I don’t necessarily like to read them; rather I prefer to bask in their beauty.
23. I prefer to root for the under-dog. Maybe that could be because I’m always the under-dog...
24. I don’t actually need glasses (oh the joys of having 20-20 vision), but I would love to get a pair without actual lenses because I think they would make me look smarter.
25. It sincerely bothers me when people speak or write incorrect grammar. However, I often times make the very mistakes I criticize others for making.
26. Just in case you haven't noticed from my first review and from the rest of this post, I have been known to use and create some spectacular hyphenated-modifiers.
While I have many other geeky quirks, listing 26 is enough for Geekfest. So, to all you fellow Geeks out there, don’t ever let anyone make you feel like being a geek is a bad thing, and continue to flaunt your glorious geeky ways!
Sincerely,
Karilee (a well-rounded geek)
WIN Maria V. Snyder's Storm Glass!
As readers may have gathered earlier, I love Maria V. Snyder's Poison Study. So I'm really excited about her new Glass series. Here is the synopsis of book one (to be released April 28), Storm Glass:
Untrained. Untested. Unleashed. With her unique magical abilities, Opal has always felt unsure of her place at Sitia's magic academy. But when the Stormdancer clan needs help, Opal's knowledge makes her the perfect choice - until the mission goes awry. Pulling her powers in unfamiliar directions, Opal finds herself tapping into a new kind of magic as stunningly potent as it is frightening. Now Opal must deal with plotters out to destroy the Stormdancer clan, as well as a traitor in their midst. With danger and deception rising around her, will Opal's untested abilities destroy her - or save them all?
Sounds like something you'd be interested in? Entering for this contest is easy, and there are tons of ways to rack up extra entries.
Enter by leaving a comment below including your email address. The winner will receive a signed copy of Storm Glass! If you are uncomfortable leaving your email address below, feel free to shoot me an email at not_so_cg[at]yahoo[dot]com instead with the subject "Maria V. Snyder Contest".
This contest is only open to US or Canadian residents.
Extra Entries:
+1 Leave a comment on Maria's guest blog
+1 Visit Maria's website and tell me about one thing you learned there about Maria or her books in your comment
+1 If you become a NSCG follower
+1 If you become a NSCG reader by subscribing to our myspace blog (www.myspace.com/not_so_cg)
+2 If you were a follower before Geek Fest
+2 If you were a myspace subscribed reader before Geek Fest
+4 If you link to this contest in a post, sidebar, etc (a link to this must be left in your comment)
Make sure to leave all extra entries specifics in your comment/email.
This contest closes this coming Friday (March 20th). The winner will be announced and contacted sometime during the week following.
Being a Book Geek by Maria V. Snyder
Maria V. Snyder has gotten much recognition for her Poison Study series. Here is my favorite quote on Poison Study- it's from the Publisher's Weekly starred review: "The first in a series, this is one of those rare books that will keep readers dreaming long after they've read it." That pretty much sums up Poison Study for me. Maria is now working on her next series- the Glass series. Book one is coming out in late April and is entitled Storm Glass. And you'll never believe what book is being given away later today...
First off, I want to thank the Not-So-Closet-Geeks for inviting me to be a guest blogger for their Geek Week. Thanks so much!
Now time to confess….looks over shoulder….I’m a book geek! I’ll blame my older sister Karen for starting me down this path a long time ago. And no, I’m not telling you how long – a lady never tells her age J My mother probably shares the blame as she had the audacity to read to me every night, but when my sister learned to read (she’s four years older than me….sorry three and a half years older than me – funny how she lorded the four years over me all during childhood, but now she corrects me all the time!) – when my sister learned to read—I was annoyed and jealous and mad that she could read and I couldn’t.
Competition and peer pressure can be a good thing at times. Determined to learn to read, I quickly picked it up and was always a year ahead in reading at school. We didn’t own many books when I was growing up (although we made frequent trips to the library). In fact, I can remember (and I still have) the books in my modest childhood collection (my sister may claim some of these books were her’s first – tough – you snooze, you lose J )
My book geekiness started with Never Tease a Weasel, by Jean Conder Soule and grew to three with the addition of Swimmy and Frederick, both by Leo Lionni. Then an unexpected fountain of goodness came in the mail for a while. My mother signed me up for a beginner book club and I received books like The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss, The Big Honey Hunt by Stanley and Janice Berenstain, Are You My Mother? and Go Dog Go (my favorite!) both by P.D. Eastman, and A Fly Went By, by Mike McClintock. I had to look up the author names, but I could probably recite the stories by heart. “So…The fly ran away in fear of the frog, who ran from the cat, who ran from the dog.” from, A Fly Went By.
Unfortunately the books stopped coming, but my love of books and reading continued. The Northeast Branch of the Philadelphia Library became my second home – good thing is was only four blocks away. The children’s section was in the ground floor – and you would think it would be dark, but high windows let in plenty of sunlight and it was fun to watch people from the knee down walking along the sidewalk.
My collection did increase in bits and pieces. A few Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books and some mysteries. My mother read mysteries so when I “graduated” from the children’s section, I automatically started reading Agatha Christie, Ed McBain, Robert B. Parker, Dick Francis, etc…
My future brother-in-law introduced me to the science fiction and fantasy genres when I was in college. (another point in my blame-my-sister defense – she married a fellow book geek J) I really started collecting books when I graduated college and was working. Basically, when I had money. I enjoy collecting every single Dick Francis book, and then I started trying to get signed books. And being a geek, I decided to try and have only first editions signed (which for Dick Francis some are nearly impossible to find – nearly – good thing the Internet came along and my husband—who is rather adept at ferreting out elusive editions J).
The need to collect books is addicting. I can’t pass a bookstore without stopping and my TBR pile is quite large. My husband crafted built-in bookshelves for my office, but it still wasn’t enough room (I had to perform a book triage and weed them out – I donated boxes and boxes to my local library for their annual book sale – I kept all my signed ones and favorites of course J ).
I don’t think I’ll ever convert to a digital reader – having a book in hand is, for me, all part of the reading experience. The smell of the print and the feel of the paper can’t be replicated.
And I wonder at this need to own a book, to see it on my shelf (and seeing my own books on the shelf is still an amazing thrill). My mother and sister, both big readers are quite content to borrow them from the library – they have no desire to fill up their houses with books (shocking!). And I have no problems in sharing my books – I think I’m a closet librarian. When a friend or family member’s looking for…something to read, I delight in picking out books for them to try (as long as they promise to return them J).
And I wonder at my son, who I read to every single night for over 10 years and who views reading as a….I can’t…so hard to type…..as a CHORE! Gasp! The Horror! Yet my daughter has picked up the addiction and already has shelves full of books (can you say no when your child wants you to buy a book?? Really? Well, I can’t J).
What makes a book lover versus a non-reader? Why do some feel the need to possess the pile of pages glued together versus borrowing from the library? I haven’t been able to figure it out. It’s a mystery! Speaking of mysteries….I hear Harlan Coben’s coming out with a new book….I’ll just check……………………
Now time to confess….looks over shoulder….I’m a book geek! I’ll blame my older sister Karen for starting me down this path a long time ago. And no, I’m not telling you how long – a lady never tells her age J My mother probably shares the blame as she had the audacity to read to me every night, but when my sister learned to read (she’s four years older than me….sorry three and a half years older than me – funny how she lorded the four years over me all during childhood, but now she corrects me all the time!) – when my sister learned to read—I was annoyed and jealous and mad that she could read and I couldn’t.
Competition and peer pressure can be a good thing at times. Determined to learn to read, I quickly picked it up and was always a year ahead in reading at school. We didn’t own many books when I was growing up (although we made frequent trips to the library). In fact, I can remember (and I still have) the books in my modest childhood collection (my sister may claim some of these books were her’s first – tough – you snooze, you lose J )
My book geekiness started with Never Tease a Weasel, by Jean Conder Soule and grew to three with the addition of Swimmy and Frederick, both by Leo Lionni. Then an unexpected fountain of goodness came in the mail for a while. My mother signed me up for a beginner book club and I received books like The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss, The Big Honey Hunt by Stanley and Janice Berenstain, Are You My Mother? and Go Dog Go (my favorite!) both by P.D. Eastman, and A Fly Went By, by Mike McClintock. I had to look up the author names, but I could probably recite the stories by heart. “So…The fly ran away in fear of the frog, who ran from the cat, who ran from the dog.” from, A Fly Went By.
Unfortunately the books stopped coming, but my love of books and reading continued. The Northeast Branch of the Philadelphia Library became my second home – good thing is was only four blocks away. The children’s section was in the ground floor – and you would think it would be dark, but high windows let in plenty of sunlight and it was fun to watch people from the knee down walking along the sidewalk.
My collection did increase in bits and pieces. A few Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books and some mysteries. My mother read mysteries so when I “graduated” from the children’s section, I automatically started reading Agatha Christie, Ed McBain, Robert B. Parker, Dick Francis, etc…
My future brother-in-law introduced me to the science fiction and fantasy genres when I was in college. (another point in my blame-my-sister defense – she married a fellow book geek J) I really started collecting books when I graduated college and was working. Basically, when I had money. I enjoy collecting every single Dick Francis book, and then I started trying to get signed books. And being a geek, I decided to try and have only first editions signed (which for Dick Francis some are nearly impossible to find – nearly – good thing the Internet came along and my husband—who is rather adept at ferreting out elusive editions J).
The need to collect books is addicting. I can’t pass a bookstore without stopping and my TBR pile is quite large. My husband crafted built-in bookshelves for my office, but it still wasn’t enough room (I had to perform a book triage and weed them out – I donated boxes and boxes to my local library for their annual book sale – I kept all my signed ones and favorites of course J ).
I don’t think I’ll ever convert to a digital reader – having a book in hand is, for me, all part of the reading experience. The smell of the print and the feel of the paper can’t be replicated.
And I wonder at this need to own a book, to see it on my shelf (and seeing my own books on the shelf is still an amazing thrill). My mother and sister, both big readers are quite content to borrow them from the library – they have no desire to fill up their houses with books (shocking!). And I have no problems in sharing my books – I think I’m a closet librarian. When a friend or family member’s looking for…something to read, I delight in picking out books for them to try (as long as they promise to return them J).
And I wonder at my son, who I read to every single night for over 10 years and who views reading as a….I can’t…so hard to type…..as a CHORE! Gasp! The Horror! Yet my daughter has picked up the addiction and already has shelves full of books (can you say no when your child wants you to buy a book?? Really? Well, I can’t J).
What makes a book lover versus a non-reader? Why do some feel the need to possess the pile of pages glued together versus borrowing from the library? I haven’t been able to figure it out. It’s a mystery! Speaking of mysteries….I hear Harlan Coben’s coming out with a new book….I’ll just check……………………
Curiosity question: Alright, booklovers. When did you discover your love for reading and how?
What is Geek? by Sarah of Sarah's Random Musings
Today's book blogger guest blogger (this sounds slightly repetitive but also technically correct to me) is Sarah of Sarah's Random Musings. Sarah not only writes wonderful reviews, but she is also a pretty amazing person. And here is the guest blog she wrote for Geek Fest...
Am I geek?
Geek is just a slang term, for someone that is "a peculiar or otherwise odd person, especially one who is perceived to be overly obsessed with one or more things including those of intellectuality, electronics, etc." according to Wikipedia. I am definitely Geek. I can’t just love something; it becomes an utter part of me, like with most tweens with cellphones.
I first found that I was different in 5th grade. My friends hated homework and while I would rather be reading. I still found homework rather awesome (I was a strange kid.). I would read ahead in my history and science books. I also did math for fun. When I was allowed to pick my classes, I took the hardest ones possible and while the homework was time consuming, I still had fun with it and did well. Even when I got sick in Tenth grade, I learned all the medical terms on the table and then some. My obsession went to books, in the following year. On the way, I found Doctor Who- a show in which a whole another guest blog is needed to describe how much I love it. I also discovered Youtube and Brother 2.0. Found awesomeness of being a Nerdfighter. Then, I started my book blog (Sarah’s Random Musings) in last September. I finished 365 books in one year and surprised myself on how much someone can read in one year. I am now doing a vlog project with some fellow bloggers, and I am overly excited. It actually starts this week.
Being a Geek isn’t a bad thing. Or even being a nerd, dork, or insert any label. When the label is gone, you are still amazing. So, embrace your inner geekiness and admit it. The worst thing that could happen is having more interests. I AM A GEEK AND I AM PROUD OF IT!
Thank you, NSCG for letting me do a guest blog for Geek Fest. It was a lot fun.
Take Care, Sarah.
Am I geek?
Geek is just a slang term, for someone that is "a peculiar or otherwise odd person, especially one who is perceived to be overly obsessed with one or more things including those of intellectuality, electronics, etc." according to Wikipedia. I am definitely Geek. I can’t just love something; it becomes an utter part of me, like with most tweens with cellphones.
I first found that I was different in 5th grade. My friends hated homework and while I would rather be reading. I still found homework rather awesome (I was a strange kid.). I would read ahead in my history and science books. I also did math for fun. When I was allowed to pick my classes, I took the hardest ones possible and while the homework was time consuming, I still had fun with it and did well. Even when I got sick in Tenth grade, I learned all the medical terms on the table and then some. My obsession went to books, in the following year. On the way, I found Doctor Who- a show in which a whole another guest blog is needed to describe how much I love it. I also discovered Youtube and Brother 2.0. Found awesomeness of being a Nerdfighter. Then, I started my book blog (Sarah’s Random Musings) in last September. I finished 365 books in one year and surprised myself on how much someone can read in one year. I am now doing a vlog project with some fellow bloggers, and I am overly excited. It actually starts this week.
Being a Geek isn’t a bad thing. Or even being a nerd, dork, or insert any label. When the label is gone, you are still amazing. So, embrace your inner geekiness and admit it. The worst thing that could happen is having more interests. I AM A GEEK AND I AM PROUD OF IT!
Thank you, NSCG for letting me do a guest blog for Geek Fest. It was a lot fun.
Take Care, Sarah.
The Magic of a Geek-Boy Who Gets You by Jody Gehrman
Working on my latest Young Adult novel, Babe in Boyland, has spawned an inordinate amount of thinking about geek-boys. The book follows the adventures of a temperamental young diva, Natalie Rowan. When her boyfriend, the editor of the school paper, breaks up with her because she’s too frivolous and moody, she decides to show him just how serious she can be by winning the local journalism award, Story of the Year. She decides to utilize her skills as an actress by going undercover as a guy at a nearby boys’ prep school, Underwood Academy, and writing an article about the secret lives of guys.
While she’s there, she starts seeing boys from a totally new perspective. A group of wealthy water polo jocks at Underwood tyrannizes all the other boys, especially those who fail to conform to their rigid standards of manhood. Though she knows as a girl she would have found these jocks attractive, she now sees them for what they are: pompous, narrow-minded and soulless. In contrast, the ragtag bunch of misfits and geek-boys she befriends may not be the epitome of sexy, but they’re quirky, fun and full of heart.
What Natalie discovers during her week undercover is something I’ve learned over a couple decades of dating. When I was younger, looks and popularity ranked high on my list of criteria for guys I might be into. Of course, you have to be attracted to someone to think of them in “that way,” and no amount of good intentions can create chemistry when it’s missing. As I got older, though, I realized that having a creative and intellectual connection with a guy could transform his so-so looks into serious shazam. Someone with frizzy hair, pasty skin and string bean arms can start to look like a Calvin Klein model when you really get him and he gets you. Conversely, some of the most cosmetically perfect boys I ever went out with quickly lost their luster when our conversations lacked the necessary frisson of minds connecting.
I guess this is a long way of saying that geek-boys can be serious treasure troves, but it takes awhile to get that—or it did for me, anyway. When I was twenty-nine I met David, an art guy who probably wouldn’t have warranted a second glance when I was sixteen. Eight years later, we’re still blissfully in love. And okay, yes, he’s cute—which totally helps. Still, it’s not his sexiness that keeps us together. It’s our conversations, our ability to talk about plays and politics and zombies with ongoing verve and enthusiasm that keeps me fascinated. Just to bring it full circle, it was largely David’s insights as an outsider in high school that helped me create the motley crew of Babe in Boyland. Not only is he my soul mate, but he’s also pretty useful when it comes to tough revisions.
So the next time you’re in Calculus and the pale, skinny guy across the aisle raises his hand yet again with the answer, check him out. Maybe that long, floppy hair conceals deeply intelligent eyes. You never know…he just might be the one human being in the world who gets you.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
A Note from NANCY WERLIN
Nancy Werlin is the award-winning author of many novels. She is perhaps most well-known for her mysteries. Even so, Nancy Werlin still impresses readers with her versatility as a writer. Her previous works include Impossible, Black Mirror, The Killer's Cousin, and much more.
"My inner geek appeared early in life. I believe I came by it honestly, as my dad was an engineer and computer programmer. Anyway, I was about four years old, and he was pushing me on the swings in our back yard. But he wasn't pushing me straight, and (because I am also very bossy), I cried out, "Daddy! Daddy, you're pushing me on the diagonal!"
Geek Like Me by Susan Juby
Susan Juby is the over-the-top hilarious author of the Alice series, Another Kind of Cowboy, and Getting the Girl. Getting the Girl has been reviewed by the NSCGs here. If you plan on reading her books, get ready to unleash a geeky guffaw. I am not kidding.
There was a time when I fronted. Yes, it’s true. I tried to pretend that I was not harboring a geek the size of a 1970s rec room just under my skin. I paid a terrible price for geekery when I was a kid (think groups of children chanting about mismatched footwear and indeterminate gender thanks to persistent and poorly executed pixie haircut) and decided, enough! Being a geek is too hard.
So I covered my inner geek with inoffensive, earth-toned carpets and posters of Scott Baio. I kept the big words to a minimum and hid my books. I stopped spending every spare minute wandering about in swamps with a jar and a large net because I wanted to be Gerald Durrell when I grew up.
In other words, I shamed my geek. She kept trying to come out. She made me fall in love with bands no one else could stand and caused me to glom onto the worst possible aspects of the latest fashions, including but not limited to granny boots worn with striped and lacy bloomers and puffy sleeved white shirts.
After high school, I should have let her free. But she was so explosive in her needs, that I was a little afraid. Instead I hung out with other people who let their geek flags fly. I hoped proximity would calm her. It worked for a while, but by the time university was over, she would no longer be denied.
I knew she was loose in all her orange plaid glory, complete with green shag carpet and buck teeth, when she dragged me off to join an aquarium hobbyist club. In the years since, she’s kept me busy with trips to look at show chickens and yearly readings of Lord of the Rings. She sometimes makes me wear a wet suit, goggles and flippers to the lake across from our house. In June. Teen girls will be sprawled around in tiny yellow bikinis, surrounded by flexing and imposing young men. And then there will be me and my inner rec room geek standing on the beach like the creature from the black lagoon.
The tanned people snicker as my geek and I walk gingerly into the water. (We wear a wetsuit because she hates being cold and doesn’t care who knows it). When I’m tempted to be embarrassed, I shrug and think, ah, well, she’s earned it. You have no idea what she went through as a kid.
So I covered my inner geek with inoffensive, earth-toned carpets and posters of Scott Baio. I kept the big words to a minimum and hid my books. I stopped spending every spare minute wandering about in swamps with a jar and a large net because I wanted to be Gerald Durrell when I grew up.
In other words, I shamed my geek. She kept trying to come out. She made me fall in love with bands no one else could stand and caused me to glom onto the worst possible aspects of the latest fashions, including but not limited to granny boots worn with striped and lacy bloomers and puffy sleeved white shirts.
After high school, I should have let her free. But she was so explosive in her needs, that I was a little afraid. Instead I hung out with other people who let their geek flags fly. I hoped proximity would calm her. It worked for a while, but by the time university was over, she would no longer be denied.
I knew she was loose in all her orange plaid glory, complete with green shag carpet and buck teeth, when she dragged me off to join an aquarium hobbyist club. In the years since, she’s kept me busy with trips to look at show chickens and yearly readings of Lord of the Rings. She sometimes makes me wear a wet suit, goggles and flippers to the lake across from our house. In June. Teen girls will be sprawled around in tiny yellow bikinis, surrounded by flexing and imposing young men. And then there will be me and my inner rec room geek standing on the beach like the creature from the black lagoon.
The tanned people snicker as my geek and I walk gingerly into the water. (We wear a wetsuit because she hates being cold and doesn’t care who knows it). When I’m tempted to be embarrassed, I shrug and think, ah, well, she’s earned it. You have no idea what she went through as a kid.
Why Me?
So I noticed something strange about the contest for Lauren Henderson's Kiss Me Kill Me and Kisses and Lies- it is not what I posted at all!
I created a completely different contest with all the correct info, but it appears to have posted wrong. All people who have already entered will be counted, but I will be working on correcting it ASAP.
Sorry for the mix up!
UPDATE: Okay...I think it is fixed. That was exceedingly strange. Let me know if something is still up.
I created a completely different contest with all the correct info, but it appears to have posted wrong. All people who have already entered will be counted, but I will be working on correcting it ASAP.
Sorry for the mix up!
UPDATE: Okay...I think it is fixed. That was exceedingly strange. Let me know if something is still up.
Getting the Girl by Susan Juby (Review by Karilee)
Susan Juby's blog is going up later today, so make sure to stop by!
Synopsis:
Meet Sherman Mack. Short. Nerdy. An Amateur P.I. who’s prepared to do anything for Dini Trioli.
Nobody knows who began it, but every girl at Harewood Tech fears being D-listed, a ritual that would wipe her off the social map forever. When Sherman believes Dini is in danger of being D-listed, he launches a full-scale investigation to uncover who is responsible. One thing is for sure: Sherman Mack is on the case. And he’s not giving up.
Part comedy, part mystery, and with all of Juby’s trademark tongue-in-cheek humor, Getting the Girl takes on one of the cruelest aspects of high school – how easy it is for an entire school to turn on someone, and how hard it is being the only one to fight back.
Review:
Getting the Girl, first and foremost, has a fantastic central character. He’s a chivalrous, wannabe lady’s man who will stop at nothing to defend a girl’s honor. (Did I mention he’s an aspiring chef?) However, despite his valiant efforts, he often finds himself in need of being rescued by the very females he tries to defend. As if the nerdy (and completely lovable) protagonist isn’t enough to keep the reader’s attention, the book is, at some points, laugh-out-loud funny, while it easily becomes serious, addressing the stupidity and effect of the social atmosphere of high school on girls and guys both. While it lacks the certain “edge-of-your-seat-excitement” many mystery novels have, it easily kept my attention and had me trying to figure out exactly who was responsible for the “defiling.”
Although I thoroughly enjoyed Getting the Girl I was slightly disappointed with the solving of the mystery. By the time the novel comes to a close, the reader still doesn’t have sufficient evidence to even begin to guess who is guilty. Instead, the main suspects have been ruled out.
While the eventual uncovering of the defiler is interesting and in no way compromised the overall attitude I have towards the book, I felt as though the book wasn’t really a “mystery.” Rather it was just a comedy of errors and feeble attempts at private investigation. (As a fair statement, I must nearly always find something I don’t like in a book. Therefore, the fact that the only thing that stuck out was that it didn’t really stay in keeping with the genre means something.)
All in all I had a great time reading Getting the Girl and I especially enjoyed Juby's witty humor. I would definitely recommend reading Getting the Girl and I can't wait to read more of Juby's work!
P.S. – Seeing as I have an odd obsession with music, for every book I read I usually find a song that either reminds me of the book or that I just listened to frequently while I was reading it. I’d like to share them with you by putting them in my reviews. For Getting the Girl, the song was “The Great Beyond” by R.E.M. From now on I’ll just put them right before my signature, listing title then artist.
Synopsis:Meet Sherman Mack. Short. Nerdy. An Amateur P.I. who’s prepared to do anything for Dini Trioli.
Nobody knows who began it, but every girl at Harewood Tech fears being D-listed, a ritual that would wipe her off the social map forever. When Sherman believes Dini is in danger of being D-listed, he launches a full-scale investigation to uncover who is responsible. One thing is for sure: Sherman Mack is on the case. And he’s not giving up.
Part comedy, part mystery, and with all of Juby’s trademark tongue-in-cheek humor, Getting the Girl takes on one of the cruelest aspects of high school – how easy it is for an entire school to turn on someone, and how hard it is being the only one to fight back.
Review:
Getting the Girl, first and foremost, has a fantastic central character. He’s a chivalrous, wannabe lady’s man who will stop at nothing to defend a girl’s honor. (Did I mention he’s an aspiring chef?) However, despite his valiant efforts, he often finds himself in need of being rescued by the very females he tries to defend. As if the nerdy (and completely lovable) protagonist isn’t enough to keep the reader’s attention, the book is, at some points, laugh-out-loud funny, while it easily becomes serious, addressing the stupidity and effect of the social atmosphere of high school on girls and guys both. While it lacks the certain “edge-of-your-seat-excitement” many mystery novels have, it easily kept my attention and had me trying to figure out exactly who was responsible for the “defiling.”
Although I thoroughly enjoyed Getting the Girl I was slightly disappointed with the solving of the mystery. By the time the novel comes to a close, the reader still doesn’t have sufficient evidence to even begin to guess who is guilty. Instead, the main suspects have been ruled out.
While the eventual uncovering of the defiler is interesting and in no way compromised the overall attitude I have towards the book, I felt as though the book wasn’t really a “mystery.” Rather it was just a comedy of errors and feeble attempts at private investigation. (As a fair statement, I must nearly always find something I don’t like in a book. Therefore, the fact that the only thing that stuck out was that it didn’t really stay in keeping with the genre means something.)
All in all I had a great time reading Getting the Girl and I especially enjoyed Juby's witty humor. I would definitely recommend reading Getting the Girl and I can't wait to read more of Juby's work!
Thanks for reading,
Karilee
Karilee
P.S. – Seeing as I have an odd obsession with music, for every book I read I usually find a song that either reminds me of the book or that I just listened to frequently while I was reading it. I’d like to share them with you by putting them in my reviews. For Getting the Girl, the song was “The Great Beyond” by R.E.M. From now on I’ll just put them right before my signature, listing title then artist.
To purchase Getting the Girl by Susan Juby, click here.
WIN Lauren Henderson's Kiss Me Kill Me and Kisses and Lies
Kiss Me Kill Me was dubbed "original", intriguing", and "fun" in the NSCG review. Angela, the reviewer, also mentioned: "The heroine, Scarlett, is spunky and intelligent..."
Sounds like something you'd be interested in? Entering for this contest is easy, and there are tons of ways to rack up extra entries. Plus, you can win the sequel, Kisses and Lies, as well.
Enter by leaving a comment below including your email address. The winner will receive both Kiss Me Kill Me and Kisses and Lies. If you are uncomfortable leaving your email address below, feel free to shoot me an email at not_so_cg[at]yahoo[dot]com instead with the subject "Lauren Henderson Contest".
Extra Entries:
+1 Leave a comment on Lauren's guest blog
Enter by leaving a comment below including your email address. The winner will receive both Kiss Me Kill Me and Kisses and Lies. If you are uncomfortable leaving your email address below, feel free to shoot me an email at not_so_cg[at]yahoo[dot]com instead with the subject "Lauren Henderson Contest".
Extra Entries:
+1 Leave a comment on Lauren's guest blog
+1 Visit Lauren's myspace and tell me about one thing you learned there about Lauren or her books in your comment
+1 If you leave a relevant comment on the NSCG review of Kiss Me Kill Me
+1 If you become a NSCG follower
+1 If you become a NSCG reader by subscribing to our myspace blog (www.myspace.com/not_so_cg)
+2 If you were a follower before Geek Fest
+2 If you were a myspace subscribed reader before Geek Fest
+4 If you link to this contest in a post, sidebar, etc (a link to this must be left in your comment)
Make sure to leave all extra entries specifics in your comment/email.
This contest closes this coming Thursday (March 19th). The winner will be announced and contacted sometime during the week following.
The Five Stages of Geek by Adele
Today's guestblog was written by Adele. Adele blogs at Persnickety Snark and The Sarah Dessen Diarist. She hosts podcasts at The Read Carpet and The Fringe Dwellers. And, um, did you know that her podcasts can be downloaded at iTunes? How cool is that?!
Star Wars:
I was a Star Wars girl from the moment I watched the original trilogy back to back to back. I wasn’t into the robots, the intergalactic battles or even the wicked cool creatures. I was into Leia –get your mind out of the gutter – she was this amazingly forceful, independent, resilient female and I wanted to be her (without the hair issues). I can’t recall watching a female character like her before. So I guess you can say that my need for a strong female protagonist pushed me into geek world. Actually there was one more thing too....Han Solo. Two words – Harrison Ford. Be still my fluttering nine year old heart.
Buffy:
I read a lot as a teenager, preferring my literary crew (aka Mr Darcy) to hanging out down the main drag. To most of you this might sound pathetic but to me, it was heaven. I think that my voracious reading kept the geekiness in check for most of the teen years until Buffy: The Vampire Slayer debuted on Australian screens when I was sixteen. Finally! A strong, decisive, funny and confident girl with extraordinary powers who was suffering through high school with the same issues I was experiencing (unfortunately at no point was my problem, vampire with a soul, Angel). The metaphors used in Joss Whedon’s show resonated with me on a personal level and I have adored of that show since its inception.
Kevin Smith:
I still didn’t consider myself a geek at the Buffy stage...although many others would. What tipped me into the world was Kevin Smith. Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Clerks – all movies that referenced geeky subject matter that I was deeply familiar with. There is a highly inappropriate discussion about Lois Lane and Superman in Mallrats that I just adore because I always wondered how they were intimate without causing her harm. It was then that I realised that I was indeed a geek and I embraced it. I labelled myself, owning it with glee, cuddling it to my chest and choosing to use it as a positive moniker.
Podcasting:
I bought an iPod two years ago and very quickly discovered the beauty of the podcast. I loved hearing likeminded, usually American fans discussing the latest episode of Smallville, a screenwriter’s explanation of the script writing process or creators revealing secrets of their shows. I was sucked in immediately.
Within a year I decided I would podcast. I got myself some free and legal audio recording software, a mic and started mucking around. Within a week I was invited to guest host on a podcast I listened to and from there I started a podcast with two other girls called Three Chicks and a Mic. We had bonded over Twilight and decided to start a podcast about geekdom from a chick perspective. I had found my geek home in the podcast section of iTunes. I also started a weekly podcast on FOX’s Fringe, Fringe Dwellers which has opened my up to science geekdom – a whole new branch of geekiness.
I have since branched out and used podcasting in association with my blogs. The Sarah Dessen Diarist podcast is decidedly low-tech and infrequent but listeners seem to respond to my reactions. I tend to think it’s due to my Aussie accent, more than my opinions but I guess they wouldn’t listen either way if they weren’t enjoying it. I have just started The Read Carpet to spread the world of YA literature brilliance. Through this project I am teaching others about the joy of podcasting (and maybe being a geek too.)
Comics:
It is the last frontier of geekdom and I am crossing the threshold at a snail’s pace. From all the friends I have made in podcasting I heard more and more about comics. The recent explosion of comics-based film also raised the interest. At this point I have read a lot of Jeph Loeb’s Catwoman, Kingdom Come, Red Son, Justice, Supernatural: The Rising Son, Bufffy Season 8, Runaways, etc. I find I put more emphasis in the words than the art but I am developing an appreciation for the medium. You won’t find me at a convention but I do know my way around a comic book store, and I will be first in line at the Wolverine movie.
In a nutshell, geeks are my people. I am a geek. Hear me roar!
Star Wars:
I was a Star Wars girl from the moment I watched the original trilogy back to back to back. I wasn’t into the robots, the intergalactic battles or even the wicked cool creatures. I was into Leia –get your mind out of the gutter – she was this amazingly forceful, independent, resilient female and I wanted to be her (without the hair issues). I can’t recall watching a female character like her before. So I guess you can say that my need for a strong female protagonist pushed me into geek world. Actually there was one more thing too....Han Solo. Two words – Harrison Ford. Be still my fluttering nine year old heart.
Buffy:
I read a lot as a teenager, preferring my literary crew (aka Mr Darcy) to hanging out down the main drag. To most of you this might sound pathetic but to me, it was heaven. I think that my voracious reading kept the geekiness in check for most of the teen years until Buffy: The Vampire Slayer debuted on Australian screens when I was sixteen. Finally! A strong, decisive, funny and confident girl with extraordinary powers who was suffering through high school with the same issues I was experiencing (unfortunately at no point was my problem, vampire with a soul, Angel). The metaphors used in Joss Whedon’s show resonated with me on a personal level and I have adored of that show since its inception.
Kevin Smith:
I still didn’t consider myself a geek at the Buffy stage...although many others would. What tipped me into the world was Kevin Smith. Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Clerks – all movies that referenced geeky subject matter that I was deeply familiar with. There is a highly inappropriate discussion about Lois Lane and Superman in Mallrats that I just adore because I always wondered how they were intimate without causing her harm. It was then that I realised that I was indeed a geek and I embraced it. I labelled myself, owning it with glee, cuddling it to my chest and choosing to use it as a positive moniker.
Podcasting:
I bought an iPod two years ago and very quickly discovered the beauty of the podcast. I loved hearing likeminded, usually American fans discussing the latest episode of Smallville, a screenwriter’s explanation of the script writing process or creators revealing secrets of their shows. I was sucked in immediately.
Within a year I decided I would podcast. I got myself some free and legal audio recording software, a mic and started mucking around. Within a week I was invited to guest host on a podcast I listened to and from there I started a podcast with two other girls called Three Chicks and a Mic. We had bonded over Twilight and decided to start a podcast about geekdom from a chick perspective. I had found my geek home in the podcast section of iTunes. I also started a weekly podcast on FOX’s Fringe, Fringe Dwellers which has opened my up to science geekdom – a whole new branch of geekiness.
I have since branched out and used podcasting in association with my blogs. The Sarah Dessen Diarist podcast is decidedly low-tech and infrequent but listeners seem to respond to my reactions. I tend to think it’s due to my Aussie accent, more than my opinions but I guess they wouldn’t listen either way if they weren’t enjoying it. I have just started The Read Carpet to spread the world of YA literature brilliance. Through this project I am teaching others about the joy of podcasting (and maybe being a geek too.)
Comics:
It is the last frontier of geekdom and I am crossing the threshold at a snail’s pace. From all the friends I have made in podcasting I heard more and more about comics. The recent explosion of comics-based film also raised the interest. At this point I have read a lot of Jeph Loeb’s Catwoman, Kingdom Come, Red Son, Justice, Supernatural: The Rising Son, Bufffy Season 8, Runaways, etc. I find I put more emphasis in the words than the art but I am developing an appreciation for the medium. You won’t find me at a convention but I do know my way around a comic book store, and I will be first in line at the Wolverine movie.
In a nutshell, geeks are my people. I am a geek. Hear me roar!
On Being A Geek by Lauren Henderson (Author of the Kiss Me Kill Me/Kisses and Lies Scarlett Wakefield series)
Lauren Henderson is the fun author of the Scarlett Wakefield series and much more. Her writing is full of tension- both the mystery kind and the romance type! Make sure to stop by later to win the first two Scarlett Wakefield novels: Kiss Me Kill Me and Kisses and Lies.
I am a total geek when it comes to reading. I am so utterly and completely addicted to books, magazines, anything in print that grabs me, that sometimes I need to go to the toilet really badly but hold it in desperately as I rush round the house, flailing madly for something to read for those five minutes that I’ll spend sitting down, doing my business. And it can get even worse than that; sometimes I’ll hold out even longer, to the point of near-imminent disaster, because I’m looking for the exactly-right thing to grab - a magazine with an article I’m dying to read, or one of the many books I’m halfway through.
Because I always have multiple books on the go. And stacks of newspapers. And magazines, and of course, websites to navigate around endlessly. The internet has meant that there’s an infinitely-wider pool of reading material than there used to be; you could spend twenty-four hours a day on it and never read everything that piques your curiosity.
And, of course, there are the books that I want to re-read. My groaning bookshelves contain comparatively few new books: ninety per-cent of their contents are books I have loved so much that I want to keep forever and keep re-reading, to experience their pleasures again and again.
But despite these extremely high levels of utter and complete geekness, no-one has ever called me a geek in my life. That’s partly because I grew up in England, where no-one uses the word. But I never got called ‘speccy’ (someone who wears glasses) or ‘swotty’ (someone who studies hard) or any of the insults we have in this country for geeky, speccy, swotty girls, because I had the good fortune to be sent to a school very much like Wakefield Hall when I was small (the one Scarlett’s grandmother runs in the Kiss Me books). I wasn’t a boarder – my school wasn’t a boarding school, unlike Wakefield Hall – but the school was isolated in the London countryside, just like Wakefield, and it was specifically for swotty, speccy, brainy, reading-addicted girls, which suited me down to the ground.
We weren’t trendy. We weren’t hip. We wore brown pleated skirts that came below our knees, brown blazers with yellow and blue trim, and sensible shoes (brown of course). I still remember with a mixture of fondness and horror the big stretchy brown knickers we wore for gym, name tags sewn in. When, at sixteen, I was sent instead to a school in the centre of London, on which I modelled St Tabby’s, it was a terrifying culture shock. The induction lecture basically consisted of the headmistress, dressed like Miss Moneypenny from the James Bond books in a snug-fitting suit with a short skirt and knee-high boots, sitting on a desk, swinging her booted legs sexily, and telling us firmly that there were already two girls signed to model agencies in our year and that nobody else was to sign with an agency without checking with her first.
But this school, hip and trendy as it was, also specialised in taking brainy, speccy, swotty girls and sending them to the best universities in the country. In both places, I was surrounded by girls who, like me, were addicted to reading and whose parents’ houses were full of books. My friends were the arty, brainy crowd, not the sexy girls in stretch Lycra who had multiple boyfriends and multiple drug habits by the age of sixteen. But even the sexy girls at my second school completely understood the value of studying. Otherwise, they would have been at one of the multiple schools in London for party girls to whom an education wasn’t half as important as dating boys with the right surnames and the right backgrounds, and knowing how to get in and out of Porsches elegantly.
So, in a nutshell, I was the luckiest geek in the world growing up, because practically everyone I knew was like me. Everyone studied hard and wanted to get the best grades they could. Everyone revised and was polite to teachers and was scared of getting called into the headmistress and told they weren’t working hard enough (apart from a frighteningly skinny girl called Camilla, who flirted so madly with the lesbian French teacher that she never seemed to have to do any work whatsoever. Still, she’s now a famous fashion editor, so whatever strategy she pursued seems to have worked for her.) And from school, I went onto a university where everyone read madly, studied hard, spent tons of time in the library – where, in fact, we had a copyright library, which means that technically it has a copy of every book published in the world, ever.
I spent a great deal of time in that library, tracing down the most obscure books I could think of that I wanted to read. And once you’ve been a student at that university, you have a lifetime’s membership to the library. I can go back any time I want to and look up any book I can think of. I don’t do it very often, but it’s bliss to know that the possibility is always there for me.
So I think I’ve established my reading-geek credentials. I just looked up ‘geek’ in the dictionary, and it says it means an ‘unfashionable or socially inept person’, and of course, that’s who everyone is in their teens, isn’t it? Even if everyone else thinks you’re fashionable and socially, er, ept, you don’t feel it inside. So I was a geek in my teens, and into my twenties. Now? Well, I’m a lot more confident and socially ept. But if I can write YA novels, and create characters who readers care about, I’m managing to tap into that sixteen year-old girl inside me who remembers what it was like to feel all those insecurities and raging hormones, mad passionate crushes and moments of absolute joy.
Ooh! And I just found a secondary definition of geek! ‘A person with an eccentric devotion to a particular interest’! That’s definitely me. I mean, running round frantically trying to hold your wee till you can find that copy of whatever book you’re in the middle of… well, that’s nothing if not eccentric…
Kiss Me Kill Me by Lauren Henderson (review by Angela)
Later today, Lauren Henderson will be stopping by via guest blog and both Kiss Me Kill Me and it's sequel Kisses and Lies will be given away, so make sure to check in!
Synopsis:
When Scarlett Wakefield transfers from St. Tabby’s, a posh private school outside London, to Wakefield Hall Collegiate, the world-renowned prep school that her grandmother runs in the English countryside, she is relieved that no one knows her dark, haunting secret. A few months ago, Plum Saybourne, the queen of St. Tabby’s “Smart Set”, surprisingly invited Scarlett to an elite party with a guest list full of the hottest names in British society, including Dan McAndrew, Scarlett’s secret crush. Before the party, Scarlett had only imagined what it would be like to have her first kiss with Dan, but on the penthouse terrace, Dan leaned in close and she no longer had to wonder. Their kiss was beautiful and perfect and magical, and then…
Dan McAndrew suffocated in her arms.
No one knows how or why Dan died, and everyone at St. Tabby’s believes Scarlett had something to do with it. After all, she was the last person to see Dan alive. But now that she’s safely hidden away at Wakefield Hall, Scarlett would rather forget that it ever happened. Only she can’t. Especially when she receives an anonymous note that will set her on the path to clearing her name and finding out what really happened to the first and last boy she kissed.
Review:
This mystery/romance novel by Lauren Henderson was very intriguing. The basic premise is pretty original: having someone die while you are kissing them. The heroine, Scarlett, is spunky and intelligent as she devotes herself to finding out the real cause of Dan’s death and often uses her gymnastic skills to help her in her investigation (such as stuffing herself in a dumbwaiter). Scarlett’s sidekick, Taylor (an American tomboy) is good as comic relief, and Jase (the gardener boy) keeps the novel from being totally romance-free after Dan’s death. Plum and her clique are suitably evil and entertaining, especially when they try to corner Scarlett at her locker. The plot gets a little slow in the middle of the book when Scarlett is stuck at Wakefield Hall, but it picks back up just in time for the cliffhanger of an ending. This light mystery novel is a very fun read, and I suggest you also pick up its sequel Kisses and Lies so you don’t agonize yourself over the ending for too long.
Buy Kiss Me Kill Me here.
Synopsis:When Scarlett Wakefield transfers from St. Tabby’s, a posh private school outside London, to Wakefield Hall Collegiate, the world-renowned prep school that her grandmother runs in the English countryside, she is relieved that no one knows her dark, haunting secret. A few months ago, Plum Saybourne, the queen of St. Tabby’s “Smart Set”, surprisingly invited Scarlett to an elite party with a guest list full of the hottest names in British society, including Dan McAndrew, Scarlett’s secret crush. Before the party, Scarlett had only imagined what it would be like to have her first kiss with Dan, but on the penthouse terrace, Dan leaned in close and she no longer had to wonder. Their kiss was beautiful and perfect and magical, and then…
Dan McAndrew suffocated in her arms.
No one knows how or why Dan died, and everyone at St. Tabby’s believes Scarlett had something to do with it. After all, she was the last person to see Dan alive. But now that she’s safely hidden away at Wakefield Hall, Scarlett would rather forget that it ever happened. Only she can’t. Especially when she receives an anonymous note that will set her on the path to clearing her name and finding out what really happened to the first and last boy she kissed.
Review:
This mystery/romance novel by Lauren Henderson was very intriguing. The basic premise is pretty original: having someone die while you are kissing them. The heroine, Scarlett, is spunky and intelligent as she devotes herself to finding out the real cause of Dan’s death and often uses her gymnastic skills to help her in her investigation (such as stuffing herself in a dumbwaiter). Scarlett’s sidekick, Taylor (an American tomboy) is good as comic relief, and Jase (the gardener boy) keeps the novel from being totally romance-free after Dan’s death. Plum and her clique are suitably evil and entertaining, especially when they try to corner Scarlett at her locker. The plot gets a little slow in the middle of the book when Scarlett is stuck at Wakefield Hall, but it picks back up just in time for the cliffhanger of an ending. This light mystery novel is a very fun read, and I suggest you also pick up its sequel Kisses and Lies so you don’t agonize yourself over the ending for too long.
-Angela
Buy Kiss Me Kill Me here.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
An Interview With DEB CALETTI
This began as a regular interview to accompany my review of The Secret Life of Prince Charming, so it isn't really geek-related. But I realized that the day I had planned on posting this interview was smack dab in the middle of Geek Fest! So I decided to include it. It's my first interview, so let me know what you think.
How did your writing career begin?
Actually, I think my career began when I was about in the second grade, when I knew I wanted to be a writer. After that came many (okay, MANY) years of practice. I wrote five books before I was first published.
What inspired you to write TSLPC? Why did you write it?
Choosing a partner, especially a life partner, is one of the most important decisions we can make, and yet, no one tells you how to actually make this choice. Or they tell you, and the advice is really, really bad. The idea that "relationships take work," for example, can get us stuck in bad places for a very long time. Can you tell that I know about this? Uh huh. REALLY know about this. So, I decided to write everything I knew on the subject, through the voices of the many women that the main character and her sisters meet throughout the book. The need to write this particular book came about when my own kids were at the age where I made my first important and disastrous romantic choice. This book was an urgent plea of sorts - to my own kids, and to all the rest of us with vulnerable hearts. Listen carefully, watch carefully, know your own history.
How much of it is based on real life?
Quite a lot. But I always must say in my own defense: I MADE A LOT OF IT UP, TOO.
I loved the strong female characters in TCLPC. Were any of them based on real people? Which character are you most like?
No character is taken directly and completely from my life. I think I'm a composite of many of the women in the book. Certainly, they give voice to my experiences.
The sister relationship between Sprout, Quinn, and Francis is really interesting. Was it based on real life experience or observation?
Quinn and Sprout actually appeared to me on a train ride from Connecticut to New York. I saw a girl and her younger sister, who were going to visit their dad. The younger sister was taking up-close pictures of her older sister's eyelashes. I loved their relationship, and they became the main characters in the book.
Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Read, read, read. It will teach you more of what you need to know than anything else.
Do you have any writing habits/rituals?
Sometimes I bribe myself with candy if I don't want to work. I even have a candy drawer in my desk. Bribery works.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Reading, spending time with my wonderful husband and family, who continually crack me up. I love to swim, too. But a day in the library makes me happy, happy.
What is your favorite quote?
"Knowledge is power."
How did you find out that Honey, Baby, Sweetheart had qualified as a National Book Award finalist? What was your reaction to the news?
I was contacted by the National Book Foundation, who told me I must immediately contact their director. I had no idea what for. I had no idea my books were even submitted for the award. Totally clueless. I couldn't believe it. I still can't, actually.
Could you explain to readers what the title of The Secret Life of Prince Charming means?
To me (and isn't that one of the best parts about reading? That we all can bring our own interpretations to what is there?), it refers to our idealization of a romantic partner, and the truths that may be there that we are unaware of.
Have you ever read a book that’s changed the way you think or made a difference in your life? If so, please describe it to us.
Too many to count have done this, so I'll start with the first. I think "Ramona the Pest" made me want to become a writer. :)
The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti (Review by Bella Aire)
This is my review of Deb Caletti's fantabulous The Secret Life of Prince Charming. Later today, the NSCG interview with Deb Caletti will be posted. It's my first interview, so make sure to stop by to let me know what you think!
Quinn’s life is filled with women who have been hurt by men. None has been hurt more, though, than Quinn’s mother. Her father left when Quinn and her younger sister, Sprout, were still young. Years pass before Quinn gets back in touch with her father. Instead of being a monster, he proves to be quite charming. His larger-than-life personality is magnetic. But as Quinn looks deeper into his story, she realizes he has left a string of women with broken hearts. When Quinn and Sprout contact their half sister, Francis Lee, who they barely know, the three daughters set of on a journey to return what their father stole from the women in his life.
Deb Caletti’s latest novel is a true masterpiece. It flows with a lyricism hard to find in many modern Young Adult novels. The depth is incredible. This is so much more than a girl power novel, though the women protagonists are delightfully strong. It shows how these strong, beautiful, amazing women could all be hurt by a man. Though the novel is led by Quinn in first person, small excerpts from the lives of the other women are included, too. The women all tell their own stories as they offer up advice and warnings to the coming and future generations of women. Girls and women should follow the guidance given in The Secret Life of Prince Charming.
I wish I had had this book about two years ago. It might have inspired me to make a change, and it could’ve saved me from a lot of pain. Love shouldn’t be about hurting. As the novel clearly asserts, love is about goodness and feeling right in the self. The message is stunning in its simplicity and, at the same time, breathtaking.
The Secret Life of Prince Charming receives my highest praises. I recommend it to every girl and woman whether in or out of a relationship. There is so much to learn from this novel, and it’s not the sort of book you borrow or rent; it’s the sort of book you keep for future reference in times of need.
Quinn’s life is filled with women who have been hurt by men. None has been hurt more, though, than Quinn’s mother. Her father left when Quinn and her younger sister, Sprout, were still young. Years pass before Quinn gets back in touch with her father. Instead of being a monster, he proves to be quite charming. His larger-than-life personality is magnetic. But as Quinn looks deeper into his story, she realizes he has left a string of women with broken hearts. When Quinn and Sprout contact their half sister, Francis Lee, who they barely know, the three daughters set of on a journey to return what their father stole from the women in his life.Deb Caletti’s latest novel is a true masterpiece. It flows with a lyricism hard to find in many modern Young Adult novels. The depth is incredible. This is so much more than a girl power novel, though the women protagonists are delightfully strong. It shows how these strong, beautiful, amazing women could all be hurt by a man. Though the novel is led by Quinn in first person, small excerpts from the lives of the other women are included, too. The women all tell their own stories as they offer up advice and warnings to the coming and future generations of women. Girls and women should follow the guidance given in The Secret Life of Prince Charming.
I wish I had had this book about two years ago. It might have inspired me to make a change, and it could’ve saved me from a lot of pain. Love shouldn’t be about hurting. As the novel clearly asserts, love is about goodness and feeling right in the self. The message is stunning in its simplicity and, at the same time, breathtaking.
The Secret Life of Prince Charming receives my highest praises. I recommend it to every girl and woman whether in or out of a relationship. There is so much to learn from this novel, and it’s not the sort of book you borrow or rent; it’s the sort of book you keep for future reference in times of need.
~bella aire~
Want to buy The Secret Life of Prince Charming? Preorder it (release date: April 7, 2009) here.
Visit Deb Caletti at her website here.
Hope and Her Adventures in Geekland
Now for our first blogger guest blog! This one is from Hope from Hope's Bookshelf. Hope is a book blogger who has great reviews (of course) and contests. I especially love checking out her amazing interviews. Plus, Hope is incredibly nice and openly admits to being a geek. What else can you ask for in a book blogger?
Hey, everyone. This is Hope from Hope’s Bookshelf. Before I even start my guest blog, I would like to thank Bella Aire for asking me to participate. :)
So, this whole week is all about geeks, right? Well, I’m pretty sure by now you’ve realized that I’m a geek. A big one. While I’m more of a book-ish, English geek, I have lots of friends who are geeks. Like, major, number-one-in-the-class geeks… and well, this guest blog is going to be all about our fun little adventures in Geek Land.
First, let me tell you about a lunch hour we had the other day. I eat lunch with four of my friends. Let’s call them M, A, K, and N. M, A, and K are girls, and N is the guy. The three girls and I have all read Twilight, right? And, well, N is very anti-Twilight. So, we’re all sitting there, eating our food, when all of the sudden, A says, “Who would we all be if we were the Cullen’s in the lunchroom scene in the Twilight movie?”
Immediately, A says she’d be Jasper, because that’s her favorite, and K says she’d be Alice. A makes M Edward. N looked totally confused when A turned to him and said, “And here’s Rosalie with her long, golden locks.” And let’s just say that that was one of the most entertaining lunches I’ve had in a really long time.
And, just because I can’t resist, we’ll have another Twilight related funny story. In my Honors Biology class, we have lots of spare time at the end of class. So, M, K, and I were sitting there talking about Twilight one day, because K had just finished reading them. N is just sitting next to us, shooting us the weirdest looks because we’re so book obsessed. And because he’s very anti-Twilight.
And then enters F. F is number one in our class and is very geek-ish. And, what makes this even funnier – F is a guy. So, F turns around and N thinks he’s going to talk to him, and that they can be very anti-Twilight together. Then, F surprises us all by saying, “Are you talking about Twilight? I’ve read all those books over the summer. I thought they were very unoriginal.
Now, let’s skip to my sixth hour. I have an online class my sixth hour. I had a scheduling conflict, so in order to keep all my honors class and my two electives – choir and Spanish II – I had to take online English, so that’s what I have sixth hour. K and M are in this hour, as well as two of my geeky guy friends that are in my grade.
K has a book reviewing blog, also, so we’re always talking about books and all things book related. So, the other day we logged onto the computers under the newspaper account, because when you do that you can access anything and everything – MySpace, Facebook, e-mail, and you can watch YouTube videos.
So, one day I was sitting at my computer away from K and M, actually working on my English class in class for once, when I hear K say, “Hope! Hope, come here!” Wondering what the heck she wanted, I got up and walked over to her computer.
I get over there and K says, “Hope! Did you know that they’re talking about making City of Bones a movie?!”
And I didn’t know at the time, so I was really excited. We then continue to spend the rest of the hour on YouTube watching videos of all the people who they think they want to be the actors in the movie and critiquing them. And deciding which ones we like. And just being overall geeks because one of our favorite book series’ is becoming a movie.
So, yeah, there’s a few stories about my geek-ish friends and I. Yes, we’re geeks. And, yes, we’re proud of it. :)
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