Hope for Writers

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I have those moments when I finish an amazing book and think, "Oh my God, I will never write this well." And a dark cloud of funk hangs over me, raining doubt.

Does that sound familiar?

It's natural that we slip into those melancholy batches, but generally as a whole, I think writers are an inherently hopeful people.

Here's why:

1. When you start a book, you're hopeful that you will finish.

2. When you finish the book, you're hopeful that it will be published.

3. When you publish the book, you're hopeful that people will buy it.

4. When people buy your book, you're hopeful they will read it.

5. When people read your book, you're hopeful they will understand it.

6. And when they understand your book, you're hopeful they will love it.

And unbeknownst to you, that person is probably saying, "Oh my God, I will never write this well."

So stop doubting yourself and let your hopeful nature shine.

Y.O.U.N.G. Spells Trouble for Saint Mary's University

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Last week on youtube a video was uploaded showing students at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, celebrating FROSH week by singing a chant getting all the new kiddos super excited for their first University party!!

This is how it goes...

Y stands for your sister.

O is for oh so tight.

U stands for underage.

N stands for no consent.

G stands for grab that ass.

At first I rolled my eyes and muttered, "Guys are pigs." Then I saw that girls at the event were singing it as well.

Wait? What!?

How is that possible? How could you stand there clapping and smiling while the guys around you are getting riled up by singing a song bragging about statutory rape?

Then I realized my blasé reaction was partly to blame. I wasn't making excuses for the behavior, but I wasn't rip roaring, ferociously mad either.

I wasn't mad. And I should have been. We ALL should've been.

'It's only a song', some people commented when interviewed,' they (the students) weren't actually condoning rape.'

I disagree.

It's not so much about women's rights or feminism, it's about basic human decency—something that needs to be taught and demonstrated everyday, especially at the University level (apparently).

It's the small, benign moments we let pass that lead to a comfort level with this kind of abuse that make the public immune. When you compromise once, the second time is easier, and the fine, seemingly insignificant details you ignored earlier, will soon turn into the large problem.

And this chant is now a large problem for the public relations department at Saint Mary's.

But I have the solution. And it's quite simple, really. Treat people with kindness. Show others around you what is acceptable, and stand up when you witness otherwise.

I feel for the students, professors, and staff who work hard to make Saint Mary's University an institution that excels in preparing young people to be contributors to society. Everyone is sharing the shame of a few, but I'm glad someone finally made this ugly chant public.

We'll only have the opportunity to improve when we are uncomfortable enough to make a change.

And in one last note, Saint Mary's isn't the only University on the hot seat this week, just yesterday the national news reported the University of British Columbia has been using a similar chant.

It's time to put the pom poms away, stop with the Y.O.U.N.G, and concentrate on our 'P's and 'Q's instead.

ASPEN Cover Reveal and Awesome Swag!!!!

We are so excited to release the cover of Rebekah Crane’s next YA contemporary novel, ASPEN, today!  Dance break! 

Now that that’s out of the way.  We present… ASPEN!

 

 

One quiet night in Boulder, Colorado, Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor made a mistake.

In the next instant, her life changed forever.

Aspen doesn't want to remember when Katelyn Ryan, a sleek-haired popular soccer player, crossed the yellow line in her car and smashed into Aspen's. But forgetting is pretty hard- because Katelyn may have died - but she didn't leave. Her ghost is following Aspen around, and heading into senior year, it's kind of a problem. Especially when Katelyn's gorgeous former boyfriend Ben appears to be the only person at school with a clue as to how Aspen feels.

Popularity, college, Homecoming Court, hot guys - none of these things ever mattered to Aspen. She's been busy trying to rein in her giant mass of blonde curls, keep her stoner mother Ninny away from Toaster, her mom's awful bongo drumming boyfriend, and prevent her best friends Kim and Cass from killing - or kissing - one another. But with Ben sitting next to her in Physics looking all too gorgeous, Katelyn's spirit dogging her steps, and her obsessive snow-globe collecting therapist begging her to remember all the things she wants to forget, Aspen is thrust into a vivid, challenging world she can't control … and doesn't want to.

A darkly funny, emotionally gripping story of opening up, letting go, and moving on, ASPEN is about the best-worst accident of your life ... and what comes next. 

Release Date: January 2014

Category: YA contemporary

Publisher: In This Together Media

And an awesome cover reveal isn’t complete without an equally AWESOME giveaway, so let’s tell them what they can win... *dramatic pause* 

10 eARCs of ASPEN!

1 tie-dye shirt from Moe’s Broadway Bagels in Boulder, CO (an actual restaurant in the story!) 

2 Grateful Dead bumper stickers! Groovy!

5 Friendship bracelets because WHY NOT?!

1 hacky sack! Rad!

3 flower stickers you can stick to your laptop or desk or wherever! Peace, man!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rebekah Crane fell in love with YA literature while studying Secondary English Education at Ohio University, but it wasn't until ten years and two daughters later that she started to write it.

 

Inspired by her past students, growing up in Cleveland with its fabulous musical theater community, and music of all kinds (particularly the Avett Brothers), she created

PLAYING NICE. Is her first published novel, but having an unbridled imagination, it's not the only fantasy world she's lived in (just ask her husband).

 

ASPEN, her second YA creation, is set to release in January 2014. She now lives in Colorado, where the altitude only enhances the experience.

Twitter: @RebekahCrane

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/playingnicebook 

Tumblr: http://rebekahcrane.tumblr.co

 

 

 

 

My Afternoon Affair With Christian Louboutin

 



A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be in Toronto while the Christian Louboutin exhibit was on display at the Design Exchange. At first I wasn't sure it was worth the trip to Bay Street.

I love beautiful things, but I'll admit, I wear the same Fit Flops all summer long—they're brown and very boring.

The only thing I knew about the painfully high heeled shoes was the famous red sole. But since the hubs and the youngest were off to the Blue Jays game, I thought an afternoon of girly time was essential, and there's nothing more girly than shoes.

Oh my!

After five minutes of wandering around the black walled exhibit, I was hooked. Each shoe had a name and was on its own pedestal with special lighting. There were several quotes from the shoemaker himself, and a videography of his life.

                                                                           

Cinderella's slippers.

 
"What I love about the story of Cinderella is that it shows that the shoe can be an important vector of communication between a man and a woman. I've often witnessed this myself in my boutique."  C. Louboutin

                                                                            

                                                                           
                                                A pair especially made for Miss Piggy!

                                                                             

                                                                       "Dita Cabaret"


                                                                              

                                                                    
                                                                      "India Jane"

 

                                                               

                                                                        "Anemone"



                                                                               

                                                                            "Puck"
                             Because we all need a pair of stiletto boots made with goat hair.

 

                                       

 

                                             
                                      These were actually flats. I totally "LOVE" them.




The main display was framed by a movie screen where a hologram of a showgirl came out to dance for us every twenty minutes.

There was also a curtained off area with 'Fetish' written above the archway. Did I go in?

Of course I did!

“There is an element of seduction in shoes that doesn’t exist for men…a woman can be sexy, charming, witty or shy with her shoes.” C. Louboutin

I didn't take any pictures, to be quite honest I thought most of the other shoes were far more sexier than the 'barbed wire thigh high boots' and the 'deadly spiked heels'. But, hey, I wear Fit Flops so...yeah.

 

I totally loved seeing all the different styles and learning how he draws inspiration from everything around him. If I ever see a pair on sale, like really, really on sale, I might buy them. Because even though I wear Fit Flops, I still like to dress up like a girl now and then.

Cheers!

Top Five Symptoms of A Bookaholic

camillecetina.com

Bookaholic: a lover of all things bookish


Do you dream about living in the bookstore? Do you wish the Yankee Candle Company came out with scents named, 'yard sale paperback' and 'secret library'?

First of all, it's okay. There's nothing wrong with you wanting to spend all of your money at the bookstore. Welcome to the club, however before you can be an official bookaholic, you need to take this test.


1. When someone asks you to name a favorite book you reply with, "By genre, author, or era?"

2. When a popular book is made into a movie you buy tickets with your friends, but are secretly cringing inside because you know Hollywood is going to get it ALL WRONG.

3. When a favorite character dies you wear black for a week.

4. Sleeping is only for people who don't have anything good to read.

5. When the publishers change the cover mid-series you throw a tantrum in the YA aisle.


AND BONUS...

You gasp loudly and point when you see someone dogear a page.


If you answered yes to any of these, congratulations! You're a bookaholic. Welcome to the club, your badge is in the mail.

Are there any more symptoms you'd like to share?

The Bachelorette, Season 9, The Finale Part Two "Twenty Minutes of Content In Two Hours"

sheknows.com

*Hits fast forward and skips first five minutes of show*

The host talks to a live studio audience and we watch Des deal with the fallout from the Brookster skipping out on the love train.

What will Des do?

Cry, actually.



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She has an interview with the host in her tropical location. It goes basically like this for the next ten minutes.

The host: Asks a question.

Des: cries

The host: asks another questioned

Des: cries

Repeat

The host points out to Des that there are two guys who signed up for the show and have told Des they love her. So...?

Des says, “My heart is broken, but my spirit isn't.”

Translation: I'm ready to keep this free tropical vacation going.

Chris and Drew arrive for the rose ceremony and the host makes the obvious observation that Brooks is not part of their trio anymore. Des comes out and tells them Brooks went home on his own. The guys fight the instinct to high five each other.

Des weeps and begs them to tell her if they have any feelings about going home.

Are you kidding? Chris and Drew are so in love, they'd probably marry each other at this point.

Drew tells us, “I'll never leave Desiree.”

Well, if she chooses Chris that could be awkward.

The host goes through the live studio audience asking all the ladies their opinions. At least that's what I think he was saying, I fast forwarded through that part too.

Des has her last date with Drew before he meets her parents. She tells us, “I hope to fall in love with Drew as much as I love Brooks.”

I have a feeling this will be Des' answer for everything.

The host: Say, Des, how are your nachos?

Des: They're good, but I wish I loved them as much as I love Brooks.

She and Drew go horseback riding to the beach, but she's just not feeling the love. What she is feeling is weepy. In a scene straight from last week's episode, Des begins to cry as she tells Drew that she can't see them having a future together.

Translation: I don't love you as much as Brooks...or nachos.

Drew: “Um...I don't know....I didn't see this coming...”

Des: “I'm so sorry.”

Drew: “Don't be sorry. You can't control who you fall in love with. This hurts, and I don't know when it will really sink in, but...I guess this is good-bye.” Then he hugs her and says, “I hope you find your happiness.”

Way to go Brooks, you selfish bastard. How many hearts does Brooks have to be responsible for breaking?!

                                                                               wetpaint.com

Des has narrowed it down to Chris. When they meet for their last date, there's a totally different vibe. She's smiling and kissing him, so yeah, already better than Drew's date. Then Chris mentions he has a BIG shoulder for her to cry on.

There's more kissing, more sailing, more little giggles, and of course more drinking.

Brooks who?

Des tells us, “I'm just going to trust my heart, and let my heart decide what it needs.”

I have the same theory about potato chips, except it's my stomach that I let decide.

Des asks Chris to meet her family. He has a gift for her. It's a journal. And Surprise! There's a poem written in the back. Des starts to cry because she feels so lucky.

*hits fast forward*

FYI: I've watched approximately twenty minutes of this two hour show.

In the live audience are past players, sorry I mean contestants of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. I was still fast forwarding at this point. I couldn't tell you what they said, but it was probably something like this, “I wish people still cared about who I was kissing.”

Chris meets Des' family...including her awesome brother who I totally dig for his straight up logic in this whole silly mess.

He doesn't pull any punches, but Chris answers his questions as honestly as he can. Chris then meets with Des' dad and he asks for her hand in marriage...you know, just in case.

Des sits down with her brother, ready for his brutally honest critique. He asks if she wants this guy FOREVER. She says yes, and he tells her he likes Chris.

Then he asks her about Brooks. Amazingly, Des doesn't cry. However it plants a seed of doubt.

*Cue the sad piano music*

Chris picks out a diamond ring, unaware that Drew has been kicked off the island. Des gets dressed up and she begins to cry...again. “I don't have a clue what I'm going to do. I have to tell Chris the truth about Brooks, I have no idea what he's going to do.”

Write a poem?

                                                  Henry Cavill looking like Chris' older brother
                                                                     citytvyahoo.com

Des waits on the proposal platform. Chris enters looking like Henry Cavill's little brother. He gives her a long practiced speech about all the fun they've had together and something about a future...blah, blah, blah.

He's about to get down on his knee when she stops him. Des drops the bombshell that she let Drew go home, and that Brooks leaving tore apart her heart.

Then she says, “I was so blindsided by my feelings for Brooks, that I couldn't see that the one thing I needed was right in front of me.”

The birds sing, the violins start, then they both sniff and cry.

Chris finally gets down on his knee and proposes.

Hooray! It's over!!!

P.S. Des joined the host on stage for the live show, but I turned off the TV. I hope you understand.

The Secret To Getting Published

us.macmillan.com

A Wrinkle In Time was turned down by at least twenty-six different publishers.

Agatha Christie had to wait four years before her first book was published.

The Help was rejected by sixty agents.


But what does this mean for you and your writing?

*Drum roll*

There is no scientific equation for evaluating literature, so persevere beyond what others consider a lost cause and keep writing.