Wanderlust

Since I'm spending a lot of time in front of the computer this summer, I use a good deal of that time to look up different places around the world and day dream about visiting them.  There are so many places I want to visit that I don't think I'll get to them all in my lifetime.

Washington, D.C. is still my favorite city in the world, and I would love to go again, if not live there some day.  I've wanted to go to Britain for as long as I can remember.  I'd love to explore the entire country.  Los Angeles is another place I've wanted to travel to for an extremely long time.  I'm incredibly fascinated by Japan and Korea, and I'd love to visit both of them some day.  I did a school project on New Zealand in eighth grade and have been dying to go ever since.  I've recently gotten really into Spain and Spanish culture, and it's yet another country I'd absolutely love to visit.  Malaysia is the country that I've most recently added to my list of places that I absolutely want to visit.


I'm determined to see all of these places and more at some point in my life.  My bucket list is pretty much two different things: read as many books as possible and travel as much as possible.  The unfortunate thing is how much traveling costs, especially when you're trying to pay for college.  Still, I'll keep dreaming, and I'll try my hardest to make it happen some day.

Childhood Movies

Most of the movies I remember watching when I was really young are Disney movies.  I know that for several years I was absolutely obsessed with Mary Poppins.  I watched it all the time when I went over to my grandma and papaw's house, so for my birthday that year I got my own copy.  It's funny because today Mary Poppins is not my favorite movie.  In fact, I'm really not a fan of it at all.  It's okay, but I'd never go out of my way to watch it.

Other than that I can't remember in one particular movie that I watched all the time.  I know I watched a lot of Barney and Winnie-the-Pooh because we have a lot of those tapes, and I remember watching it all the time (especially Barney).  I also know that, like I said earlier, I watched a lot of Disney, but there isn't one particular Disney movie that I remember watching more than others (other than Mary Poppins for a while).  And I can't remember any other movies I really like watching.

I think I watched more TV than anything else.  I watched Nickelodeon all the time at home, and when I went over to my grandparent's I always watched Disney or Toon Disney.  For some reason, I never watched Disney at home or Nickelodeon at my grandparent's until I got a little older.  That was just my routine.

I don't really know how to end this post.  So, I'm just going to have this short, awkward conclusion.  This entire post was basically just a few somewhat connected thoughts anyway, and I have no idea how to wrap it up nicely...

"Boring" Summer

I was texting my friend Jordan earlier, and she made a comment about this summer being boring.  I have to agree with her.  While we were talking, I suddenly realized that in only a couple of days it will be a month since I graduated from high school.  That's insane!  June flew by, and I've done almost nothing note-worthy.  I'm lucky if I leave the house twice in one week.  There's just nothing going on.

Today I haven't done much.  I did some editing of a story I'm working on, watched an episode of Little House on the Prairie, and have been online most of the day.  That's basically the extent of my entire summer so far.  I anticipate July to be the same (at least until I go to Florida with my sister and grandma at the end of the month).

Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University Thoughts

The other day the trailer was released for Monsters University, the prequel to Monsters, Inc.  I've been seeing people get really excited for this movie for a while now because they loved Monsters, Inc. and are finally getting a sequel.  I can't say I feel the same way.  For some reason I never liked Monsters, Inc.  When it came out I must have seen it a million times, and I got so tired of it.  Granted, Finding Nemo was the same way.  I hated it for years because I was forced to watch it so many times, but I've learned to love it now.  Maybe if I went back and watched Monsters, Inc. again I'd enjoy it.  I just never found it to be an enjoyable movie when I was a kid, but that may have been because I had to watch it so many times and that changed my feelings about it.

However, I did watch the trailer for Monsters University, and I want to see it.  It looks like an enjoyable movie, even if I'm not as excited as so many other people seem to be.

Eye Appointment

My brother and I both had appointments for the eye doctor earlier, and I learned that my vision has gotten a little worse since my last visit.  According to the eye doctor, my vision's apparently leveling off early though.  He said that, while my eyes are a little worse, they haven't changed much since I got my current pair of glasses during my freshmen year.  Apparently it doesn't usually start slowing down like this until about early twenties.  However, he also pointed out that I got my glasses incredibly early (first grade), and my vision got really bad really quickly back then.  Honestly, I'm glad it's slowing down because I don't have much vision left to loose.  One thing I found interesting was that the eye doctor referred to me as having perfectly repairable vision.  Meaning that even though my vision is really terrible, it's possible for me to have 20/20 vision if I have the correct pair of glasses.  Is that not true for everyone?  I mean, I know that certain people have eye problems that can't be corrected, but I always figured most people with vision problems could have perfect vision with the correct prescription.

While I had adjusting to new glasses, I am kind of excited about my new pair.  They have a bit of purple on them, but not much because it's mostly hidden.  They're a completely different style from any other pair of glasses I've ever owned.  The eye doctor tried out some plastic frames on me, but he said my face was too narrow and the nose band part of plastic glasses can't be adjusted like metal ones can.  The way the plastic frames are made, they'd be falling off my face all the time, so it looks like I'll always have metal frames.  Not a big deal, but I thought it was interesting that my nose and face is apparently narrow compared to the rest of the human population.

Book Review: Guys Are Waffles, Girls Are Spaghetti by Chad Eastham, Pam Farrel, and Bill Farrel

ISBN: 1400315166
Published: September 15th, 2009
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers
Read from June 14th to 17th, 2012
Synopsis from Goodreads:

Boy meets Girl; Boy wonders what in the world Girl is talking about and how he will ever keep up. Girl wonders what is wrong with Boy. Enter, "Waffles and Spaghetti"-every teen's guide to figuring out the opposite sex and understanding and valuing our unique differences.
In a pivotal time of their development and social lives, teens are left to try and understand one another without much guidance. The purpose of this book is to help better understand themselves as well those from the "alien gender."
Guys' brains are like waffles-they keep their lives compartmentalized in boxes. Girls' brains are like spaghetti-everything in their life is connected to everything else. This book for teens includes brain development, social habits, differences in emotions, and relationship building skills for teens to develop early in their life. Loaded with humor and fun examples, this is a great way for teens to learn about healthy relationships with the opposite sex.

Review:


I thought this was a great book.  It's full of humour, and I love the way it compares male and female brains.  I think this is a great book for teens.  It teaches you how the opposite sex thinks in a way that isn't boring at all.  I should point out that this is a Christian book with some references to God and the Bible, although it's not overly loaded with religious stuff.


I think a lot of teens would really enjoy this book, and it has a lot of things that will help you communicate with and understand people better.  Some of the stuff seems like common sense after you read it, but you may have never thought of it that way before.


I really loved the comments between the author (Eastham) and the editor that was left throughout the book.  They were really amusing.  The entire book was a lot of fun.  It teaches you things while keeping you entertained.

Favorite Colors

You know you have almost nothing going on in your life when you decide to blog about your favorite colors. Really though, I feel as if I haven't been blogging enough, and when I do blog, they're incredibly short and pointless (as this one will no doubt be).  I feel kind of bad because I feel like I should be making better quality posts, but I just can't bring myself to think of things recently.  There aren't many people (if any) that really read this blog anyway, and I'm really only doing it for myself.

Anyway, on to my favorite colors (the most random and stupid thing I've ever blogged about).  My favorite color has been purple for years, with orange and green being close behind.  While I love almost any shade of purple (except the more pinkish ones because I'm not a fan of pink), I'm really picky about what shades of orange and green I like.  I like most oranges, but there are a few that just hurt my eyes to look at, and I don't like that.  (That same reason is why yellow is my least favorite color.  I can't stand looking at it.)  With green, I like the lighter greens.  I like lime green, but again, I prefer it in shades that aren't going to hurt my eyes when I look at it.

It's almost sad how obsessed I am with purple.  If I'm buying something and have a choice on colors, I will with out a doubt pick purple if I can.  Looking at my stuff, it's not incredibly obvious because I have enough things in other colors, but if you look closely at various things I own, you can start to tell that quite a few things are purple.  It doesn't help that when you enter my room, my entire bed (comforter, sheets, and pillows) and my curtains are purple, and the rugs in my bathroom are purple as well.  I think it just shows how easily obsessed I get because I think it's safe to say that I'm obsessed with the color purple.  The strange thing is, that's probably actually one of my more normal obsessions...

Naruto Kurama Clan Arc Review

I enjoyed this arc as much as I could possibly enjoy a filler arc.  I liked the storyline, and I like how it was kind of a reminder about the nine-tailed fox, since that hadn't been mentioned in a while.  The "thing" that was in Yakuma was really freaky.  I really don't have much more than that to say.  I know this is a really crappy review, but it was just a filler arc.  It was good as far as filler arcs go, in my opinion, but not much note-worthy stuff happened...

Weirdly Unhappily Lazy

I have been an extremely lazy person the past few days.  I haven't done anything.  I haven't even left the house since church Sunday morning.  Usually this wouldn't bother me, but for some reason, I just really want to do something.  It's strange.  I wonder if I'm actually becoming a more social person...  Weird.

Anyway, Haley asked me earlier if I wanted to go on a walk with her, Jordan, and Blake later today, so that may or may not happen.  If it does, I can leave the house for the first time in two days!  I'm looking forward to it.  I need to get away from the computer.  Tumblr has taken over my life the past couple of days.

Book Review: Tallen (Quest of the Demon Aftermath #1) by M.L. Sawyer

ISBN: 9781921456619

Published: December 1st, 2011

Publisher: Equilibrium Books

Read from June 10th to 13th, 2012

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Growing up not far from the road to Chinta on the edge of the Jungle Dragon, Tallen is excited to have her two brothers home. Recent times have been hard, Tallen herself barely surviving an attack by a derelict stranger in their very own barn.
The war that never was has relieved them of their duty at Chinta, so much so, that her father, the Sergeant of the Guard, is able to return for a visit, bringing news of a possible suitor for Tallen, given that she is almost of that age.
Tallen is not sure what she wants, and the man her father brings home is not what anyone expected. But at least she knows that her family has her best interests at heart when the pompous, self-interested merchant's son is sent back to Chinta.
The aftermath of the Offworlder's quest remains uncertain, the battle apparently lost. But for a reluctant Tallen, the journey is only just beginning, upon a path from which there may be no return.

Review:


I guess this book is technically considered the first of a series, but it actually takes place after Quest of the Demon, which I reviewed here. I guess this new series is kind of like a companion to Quest of the Demon instead of being a sequel to it.  Either way, I'd definitely read Quest of the Demon first because I think knowing what happens in that book is helpful, even if it may not be absolutely necessary.


It was interesting to read a book narrated by a character that we only got to see briefly in Quest of the Demon.  Tallen ended up being a lot different by the end of this book than I would have expected her to be while reading the other book.  She definitely changed a lot during the book.  At some points I wondered if it was even possible for her to change so quickly, but then I thought about everything she went through, and I guess it's not too outrageous for her to be completely different after going through the horrible things she does in this book.


Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.  I'm a little disappointed that it will have yet another new narrator, since I loved both Darci and Tallen, and I'd love to read more from their point-of-view.  At the same time, since I loved reading about Darci and Tallen, I'm sure having another new narrator won't bother me for long because I'll enjoy their story as well.  I'm definitely anxious to see what happens to Tallen and Darci though, so I'm hoping we get to hear more about them soon.

Book Review: Seize the Story: A Handbook for Teens Who Like to Write by Victoria Hanley

ISBN: 1877673811
Published: July 1st, 2008
Publisher: Cottonwood Press
Read from June 1st to 7th, 2012
Synopsis from Goodreads:

Do you wish you had a published writer's secrets at your fingertips, ready to help you achieve your goals of publication, success, and the chance to be the next great teen writer? In Seize the Story: A Handbook for Teens Who Like to Write, Victoria Hanley, award-winning author of young adult fiction, spills the secrets for bringing action, adventure, humor, and drama to stories. All of the elements of fiction, from creating believable dialogue to exciting plots, are laid out clearly and illustrated with examples taken straight from story excerpts by excellent writers. The book is packed with writing exercises designed to encourage teens to tell the stories that are theirs alone.In addition, other published authors of young adult literature share their insights about the writing life. Teens can gain firsthand advice from accomplished writers T. A. Barron, Joan Bauer, Hilari Bell, Chris Crutcher, David Lubar, Lauren Myracle, Todd Mitchell, Nancy Garden, and many more.

Review:

I absolutely love this book!  It has amazing advice for anyone who enjoys writing.  It's definitely geared towards teens, but the writing advice it has is advice that's great for anyone who writes.  I'm definitely going to be keeping advice from this book in mind during the future.  I also enjoyed the interviews with the other authors.  The book contains so much advice that will really help any teen who wants to make their writing the best it can be.  I strongly recommend Seize the Story to any teen writer.

Legend of Korra Episode 8 Review

I know it's been almost a week since episode 9 aired, and I'm just now reviewing episode 8. I'm going to try and keep episode 9 out of this, but I don't know how successful I'll be.

I'm not sure how I feel about the jealousy that Asami seems to have now. She's being nothing but kind to Korra, and I think Asami's completely justified to feel that way. Mako definitely does have feelings for Korra, so of course, Asami should probably deal with it. I just don't like that she seems to be hiding her jealousy. I have a feeling it's going to bother her until something big happens because she just gets more and more jealous.

And of course the new chief of police is basically worthless. I would make a comment about how I hope Lin gets better soon and becomes chief again, but as episode 9 has already aired, I don't really need to.

As soon as Korra snuck into Tarrlock's office I knew something bad was going to happen. That was a really intense fight though. I was freaking out the entire time. I still can't believe Tarrlock can blood-bend when it's not the full moon. I hope we find out if there's a reason behind that, or if he's just that powerful. Even Toph had an explanation for her metal-bending.

I'm going to do a video review of episode 9, and I hope to have it up tonight. I'm going to film it in just a little bit, but my mom and I are leaving to go to Indianapolis in a couple of hours. I'm hoping to edit and upload the episode 9 review from the hotel room, but we'll see how it goes.

Changes and Travel

Today was my last day working at my aunt's ever!  It's so strange because I've worked there for about three years.  I'm not sad to be done though.  I hate it there.  I'd learned to tolerate it much better than I used to over the past year, but I'm glad to never have to deal with it again.

I also got most of my hair cut off today.  I'm donating it to Locks of Love.  My hair's incredibly short right now, and it's so strange.  I don't think my hair has ever been this short before.  It's going to take some getting used to.

My mom and I are driving to Indianapolis tomorrow because I have college orientation on Friday.  I'm not really looking forward to the drive, but it's nice that we're doing it in the afternoon and get to rest for a night instead of driving up in the early morning to get there just in time for whatever's happening like we've done the two past times we went.

Book Review: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

ISBN: 0064471047
Published: 1994 (first published 1950)
Publisher: HarperCollins
Read June 10th, 2012
Synopsis from Goodreads:

Four English schoolchildren find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist its ruler, the golden lion Aslan, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.

Review:


Most of what I want to say I already said in my review of The Magician's Nephew.  All I'll say in this review is that I really enjoyed reading this after only getting through part of it years before.  I've seen the movie (and the cartoon) many, many times, so I was kind of comparing the book and movie in my mind as I read.  I was pretty much picturing everything from the movie in my head.  It's funny how the movie seems to have stuck so close to the book, but the movie definitely seemed more epic and dramatic, at least to me.


I'm reading The Horse and His Boy next, which will be interesting as I know almost nothing about that book.

Book Review: The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

ISBN: 0064471101
Published: 1994 (originally published in 1955)
Publisher: Harper Trophy
Read May 30th and 31st, 2012
Synopsis from Goodreads:

The many readers who discovered C.S. Lewis's Chronicles through 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe' will be delighted to find that the next volume in the series is actually the first in the sequence—and a step back in time. In this unforgettable story, British schoolchildren Polly and Digory inadvertently tumble into the Wood Between the Worlds, where they meet the evil Queen Jadis and, ultimately, the great, mysterious King Aslan. We witness the birth of Narnia and discover the legendary source of all the adventures that are to follow in the seven books that comprise the series.

Review:


I read The Magician's Nephew and about half of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe years ago, but for some reason, I never actually finished reading the series.  I've been meaning to for years though, so a couple of weeks ago I asked my dad if I could borrow his set of the series.  He owns a boxed-set that has them in chronological order instead of the order they were published in, so I decided to read them that way.


I think this is a great series, of course.  It's a classic children's series, and I don't think I can really say anything negative about it.  I really wish I had actually finished the whole series when I was younger though.  One thing I definitely want to say, even as a child, I got some of the biblical symbolism in the series, but now that I'm older, I realize that there's so much more of it than I realized before.  It's everywhere.  That being said, I definitely think it's an enjoyable book series no matter what religion you are.  I think most children would love the story.


The Magician's Nephew is interesting because you get to read about how Narnia was created.  Of course, I kept thinking of the creation story in the Bible the whole time.  I got the basic gist of it when I was younger, but I don't think I ever thought of the garden they go to being the Garden of Eden before or the apples being the apples from the story of Adam and Eve.


I really enjoyed The Magician's Nephew, and I'm looking forward to actually getting through the entire series this time!

Comic Book Review: A:TLA The Promise Part 2

ISBN: 1595828753
Published: May 30th, 2012
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Read June 5th, 2012
Synopsis from Goodreads:

Avatar: The Last Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko continue the story right where the TV series left off Aang and Katara work tirelessly for peace when an impasse between Fire Lord Zuko and Earth King Kuei over Fire Nation colonies within the borders of the Earth Nation threatens to plunge the world back into war Meanwhile, Sokka must help Toph prepare her hapless first class of metalbending students to defend their school against a rival class of firebenders Written by Eisner winner and National Book Award nominee Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese) and drawn by Gurihiru (Thor and the Warriors Four), this is the adventure Avatar fans have been craving.

Review:

Book Review: Settling by Shelley Workinger

ISBN: 1460981723
Published: July 4th, 2011
Publisher: self-published

Read June 9th and 10th, 2012

Synopsis from Goodreads:

At the beginning of the summer, Clio Kaid was one of a hundred teens brought to a secret Army installation. But it was no ordinary camp and they weren’t ordinary kids…
Picking up where “Solid” left off, Clio and her friends realize that they aren’t ready to go home; they’re determined to stay on campus and continue their journey of self- discovery. But someone doesn’t feel the same way and will do anything to drive them away – even kill. 
Friendships will be tested, abilities will evolve, and more secrets will come out as the teens race to stop the killer before he sets his sights on one of them…

Review:

Amazingly, it's been almost a year now since I read and reviewed Solid, the first book in this series.  I loved Solid, and I couldn't wait to read Settling.  When I got my Kindle, it was one of the first books I bought on it.  I loved Settling just as much as I loved Solid, and I read it incredibly quickly.

I don't want to say much because I really can't comment too much on the book without giving away aspects of the first book, if not the second book as well.  This series is definitely worth checking out though.  When I first read Solid, I was a bit skeptical of it at first because it didn't seem like something I would usually read because it was about teens who had been secretly genetically altered before birth, but I ended up loving it.

The way Settling ended left me really anxious to read the next book in the series, and I'll definitely be buying it as soon as it comes out now that I have my Kindle.  This really is a great series!

Book Review: The Complete Idiot's Guide to the U.S. Constitution by Timothy Harper

ISBN: 1592576273
Published: October 2nd, 2007
Publisher: Alpha
Read from May 31st to June 7th, 2012
Synopsis from Goodreads:

The “living” document that changed the world. 
One of the most revered, imitated, and controversial government documents in the world, the U.S. Constitution serves as the foundation for the American government and shapes the lives of Americans every day. But how many know its history and the impact it’s had on American laws and practices throughout history? This guide serves as the most current and accessible handbook to this all-important document.

Review:


As with all Complete Idiot's Guide books, I thought this one did a very good job of explaining it's topic in a way that everyone can understand it.  This book covers the entire Constitution and explains all of it in a way that makes it easy to understand.  Since the American government is a democracy, it relies on its citizens understanding how it works, and one of the most fundamental things every American needs to understand is the Constitution.  This books discusses things every American should know in a very easy to understand way.  I would recommend this book to everyone.

Naruto Trap Master Arc Review

The Trap Master arc was by no means that great of an arc, but I did enjoy it more than I have enjoyed the other arcs lately.  I liked that we got to see so many of the characters throughout the five episodes that made up the arc.  I also liked the emotional aspect of Naruto looking up to the old man and then finding out he was the one behind everything.  Plus, Naruto looking like his son.

I was never actually worried that Konoha would be destroyed, of course, but I thought the story-line was done well.  I'm really excited about how close I am to reaching Shippuden though.  I just want to get through the next few episodes!

Book Review: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Campus Safety by

ISBN: 1436230993
Published: April 1st, 2008
Publisher: Alpha Books
Read from May 21st to 30th, 2012
Synopsis from Goodreads:

A handbook that covers it all. There are many issues surrounding campus safety that students should be prepared for. This unique guide covers everything from dorm rules, frat house myths and realities, and protecting property, to staying out of trouble on the Web, at the ATM, and elsewhere, to drinking, drugs, dating, spring break, staying healthy, how to handle different kinds of people and places, and what to do in emergencies.

Review:

Overcoming My Shyness

It's a little crazy to think about the past year.  Just last year around this time I was getting ready to go on a mission trip with my church and immediately after that I had Hoosier Girl's State.  I didn't know at the time just what an impact those two experiences would have on me.

The mission trip definitely taught me a lot about poverty and homelessness (my group worked at a homeless shelter for families and single women) in an area that was only a state away from where I lived, and thanks to all of the worship services, it was definitely the most intense religious experience I've ever had as well.  The next week, I learned a lot about government at Girl's State.  But both of those experiences had another large effect on me as well:  Thanks to the numerous strangers I was surrounded with and had to communicate with over the course of those two weeks, I was definitely able to take large steps in overcoming my shyness.

Later that summer I attended LeakyCon 2011, which was an incredible experience, but I can't say it helped with my shyness at all.  (I was really too shy to approach anyone there, including people I recognized and look up to in the fandom, and that's something I really regret.)

When I started my senior year last fall, I was definitely not suddenly an outgoing person, but I could tell how much more comfortable I felt around people.  Sure, I'd been making strides towards that during sophomore and (definitely) junior year as well, but over the course of senior year I realized how much more relaxed I was in class.  I didn't talk much, but I wasn't constantly nervous about being put on the spot.  When I did speak to someone, I wasn't overcome with terror like I had been at some times in the past.  If I had to talk to a teacher about something, they weren't anywhere near as intimidating as I'd found them before, in fact it began to not bother me at all.

One of the best examples of me getting over my shyness is how I approached Haley and Jordan on the first day of school and asked to sit with them at lunch.  When I started senior year, I could really only consider Ji a close friend who I really talked to since Summer (and Jessica, who I'd begun getting close to the end of junior year) had moved away after sophomore year.  Ji and I didn't have lunch together that semester, so I was left with the terrifying prospect of finding somewhere to sit alone.  This was definitely not the first time this had happened, and I spent two semesters of my high school career dreading lunch because I sat at the end of crowded tables full of people I never spoke to.

I knew Haley and Jordan, but had never really spoken to them in my life.  I thought they seemed nice and would be okay with me sitting beside them, so I decided to head over there.  I think before that summer I would have sat there in silence, but thanks to my sudden bravery, I actually began having a conversation with them that day.  The three of us quickly discovered that I probably shared more interests with them than anyone else in the school.  Ji is still one of my greatest friends, but she and I just don't have that much in common.  Later that day, Haley, Jordan, and I had government together, and we ended up sitting next to each other in there too.  Now, having graduated and been friends with Haley and Jordan for about ten months, I consider them two of my best friends.  I can't help but wonder how close the three of us would have been if I'd been brave enough to approach them freshmen year or at least sometime before our last year of high school.

(To completely understand how monumental befriending Haley and Jordan was to me, you have to know that they were the first friends I'd completely made on my own since first grade when I befriended my best friend Summer.  Summer befriended Ji first and then asked me to show Ji to her next class (she moved here sophomore year) since we were in the same one.  I ended up sitting next to Ji in that class and was assigned to sit next to her in English next semester, but I would say we were close until junior year.  Summer had moved and that terrified me, so Ji somehow became my new best friend at school.  Still, Summer is pretty much the reason Ji and I became friends, and I hadn't really become close friends with anyone else at that point, so I consider becoming friends with Haley and Jordan on my own a huge step for me.)

It wasn't just that though.  While I remained quite possibly one of the shyest people in our grade, and the change was something most people definitely didn't see.  I could tell that I had become a much more confident person.  I still get nervous when I have to speak to strangers, but it's not usually as terrifying as I'd found it before.  It takes a lot less time for me to become comfortable with people than it did in the past.

For years I hated my shyness.  It made life hard.  But I had no idea how to get over it.  The shyness is still there, but it's at a much more manageable level, and you have no idea how relieved I am that I seem to finally be improving on it.  Hopefully, I'll continue to overcome it more and more.  I imagine starting college in the fall will be an experience that, just like the mission trip and Hoosier Girl's State, will help me overcome it even more.  I look forward to it.

Lazy Day and Kindle

Today seems like the first day in a while were absolutely nothing notable has happened.  Even though school's been out for a while now, it feels as if I've been staying relatively busy with work and various other things.  It's nice to have a day where there's literally nothing going on once in a while.  I've just been online and been reading most of the day.

My Kindle finally finished charging last night, and I'm kind of obsessed with it right now.  It's funny how I was so against the idea of getting a Kindle just a few months ago, but now I'm incredibly excited about having it.  I'd still choose print books over ebooks, but the Kindle's convenient, especially when I go off to college in the fall.

Maybe something a little more exciting will happen later in the day, but for now I'm just laying around the house being lazy.  I have to work the next two days, so I guess I can use the excuse that I'm resting for that.

Watching the Up All Night DVD and Getting my Kindle

I was at work yesterday when I got a message from my friend Haley asking if she could come over that night to watch the One Direction Up All Night DVD.  Of course, I was completely for it, so she came and hung out with me at work until it was time to leave and then came to my house with me.  My sister Regina decided to watch with us, which could have ended up being annoying (and it was a little bit).  She knew What Makes You Beautiful and that was it.  She started off teasing them a lot, but by the end of the DVD had basically admitted she was a fan.  She complemented their singing constantly during the DVD, and Niall has become her favorite.  She even got on Twitter to follow all five of them while we were watching the DVD.  We had a great time.  I can't even begin to tell you how much I love that DVD (or just One Direction in general).

Today my Kindle and The Promise Part 2 came in the mail!  I'm so excited!  My Kindle is charging as I write this, and I'm definitely reading The Promise Part 2 as soon as possible!

Ji is going to be here eventually.  She texted me this morning saying she was coming over around two, but then she didn't end up leaving her house until after three.  She moved about a week ago, so she lives farther away now, and it takes a while to get here.  Still, she seems to be taking a long time since she left her house an hour ago, and it should only take her half an hour to so.  There's no telling what she's doing, but I'm just passing the time by doing things such as writing this blog post.  We're not really going to do anything other than sit around and talk anyway.

Well, I'm going to go occupy my time until Ji finally decides to show up.  Who knows when that will be...

K.C. Blake Interview (Author of The Witch-Game Series)

A little over a week ago I reviewed Crushed by K.C. Blake.  I was also lucky enough to be able to interview her.  I really enjoyed Crushed, and I'm looking forward to reading Witch Hunt, the second in the series, soon.  Hopefully you'll enjoy the interview and check out the series!

Where did you get the idea for The Witch-Game series?

My agent and I were discussing what sort of thing hasn’t been done to death.  Since she couldn’t find a publisher for my vampire books, we decided to go with witches.  I asked myself what I would have done back in high school if I’d had powers.  Simple.  I would have used them to play games with other witches.

How many books will be in The Witch-Game series?

This is a question I cannot answer.  It depends on how many games I can come up with for witches to play and how popular the series becomes.  So far I have two books out: Crushed and Witch Hunt.  Then I have three other possibilities in mind: Raven’s Claw, Smack’d, and Dare.

Which character was your favorite to write for and why?

For some reason I get a kick out of writing for bad boys and girls.  Maybe because they will say and do anything while the protagonist has morals keeping him/her in line.  So in Witch Hunt I would say I had the most fun writing for Bex and Ryder.

Where can people find your books?

Most of my books are available at Amazon (ebook and print copies), B&N, and Smashwords.  At the moment Witch Hunt is only available at Amazon, but it will be with Smashwords next month in June and at B&N later in the summer.  Readers can always google the title with my name and find them.  Or they can go to my blog. 

What are you working on now?

I am currently editing the third book to The Rule Series.  It is called Shifters Rule and will be out (fingers crossed) by Halloween.  I am also putting together a book called Dragon’s Breath.

Do you listen to music while you write?

Sometimes.  When I get stuck, I will listen to something that relates to the scene.  For instance, in Crushed during what I call ‘the red dress scene’ I was listening to Lady in Red.  When I was working on the scene in Witch Hunt where Starr loses control of her body and starts to dance with the It-Squad, I listened to what they were listening to in the story.  I really wish books came with music.  That would be awesome.

What is your favorite book and why?

Right now I am rereading City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.  I love the Mortal Instrument series.  It has lots of action, romance, fun stuff.  I love how Clare writes.  She has an awesome style that I haven’t found very often. 

What are some things you enjoy doing other than writing?

Shopping.  LOL.  Yes, my name is K.C. Blake and I am a shopaholic.  I also enjoy hanging with my friends, reading (of course), and playing with my dog. 

If you could have a fictional character as a best friend, who would you choose and why?

I can see myself hanging out with Jack from Vampires Rule.  True, he used to be a vampire and still has some strange abilities, but I like him.  He tries to be a good person.  Even when he’s scared, he will jump into a bad situation to save someone.  I also enjoy his witty sense of humor.  And the guy loves to read.  That makes him a great potential buddy. 

Where can people find you online?

My blog:  http://kasi-kcblake.blogspot.com

On Twitter as KC_Blake

On Goodreads as K.C. Blake (no space between the first period and next letter)

Crushed

The Noah sisters rule Titan High with their beauty, brains, and magical powers. 

Each year they play a secret game: Crushed. The girls pick their targets carefully and blow enchanted dust into the boy’s faces, charming them, but this year Kristen makes a grave mistake. She chooses the wrong boy and almost dies that same day. Coincidence? Maybe.

But something isn’t quite right about Zach Bevian. He doesn’t behave like a boy who’s been Crushed. He goes from hot to cold, from looking at her with contempt to asking her out on a date. She doesn’t know what to think. Does he hate her or is he truly falling for her? Is he trying to kill her, or is he trying to save her?

You can buy Crushed on Amazon (Kindle or paperback) and Barnes and Noble (Nook or paperback).

Witch Hunt

A magical game of Hide n Seek begins.
Find the missing player and win.
The game resets; everyone forgets and starts to play it again.

Starr Hughes hasn’t believed in magic since her mother died. As a reporter for the school paper, she believes in hard facts. Hiding under the headmaster’s desk, planting bugs, and breaking into a fellow student’s home are all on her to-do list. So when she hears the mysterious group known as the It-Squad are about to start playing a secretive game, she wants to know more. She’s especially interested in the group’s gorgeous leader, Dylan Winchester.

With her boy-crazy best friend at her side, Starr is going to discover that not only are witches real, they need her help. Someone is using the game to steal their memories, their powers, and perhaps their lives.

You can buy Witch Hunt on Amazon (Kindle or paperback) and Barnes and Noble (paperback).

Uneventful Trip

I had to go back to the doctor's this morning to get my TB test read, and I do not have TB as I already knew.  Afterwards, my mom and I went to Walmart.  It was a pretty uneventful trip.  We got home around noon, and nothing has really happened since.  I have a feeling today is going to be a really lazy, uneventful day.

One awesome bit of news though, Amazon emailed me today to tell me that my Kindle has shipped!  I can't wait for it to get here!