Using breadcrumbs, Katie Alender tagged me for this meme. Since I'm a fan of bread (and I love the Hansel and Gretel - or possibly ducky - reference), I followed her lead.

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?

Too much, as I still do. In June of 1998, I was worrying and thinking too much - again, things I still do - but I was also studying my tail off and fighting battles with administration. At home, I was enjoying my environment with my cats and my family. Out of the house, I was regularly attending dance classes and rehearsals in preparation for summer productions and performances, including one extremely flattering and particularly important opportunity that I took and enjoyed.

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?

The question permitted the list to be in random order, but of course I had to put it in chronological order.

Register a domain for a webdesign client (I'm very excited for this forthcoming book and its author)
Have the cable company fix my cable box (which, it turns out, they messed up in the first place)
Take a walk (2.5 miles roundtrip - I'll walk another mile later)
Start a new book (yes, I read while I'm walking)
Complete errands (recycling, banking, grocery shopping)

All of these things are now DONE. I have ten more big items on my to-do list today.

3) Snacks I enjoy:

Veggies, especially corn. Fruit. Bread.

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

Give back. Donate. Support those who need support, especially those who can't speak for themselves. (Donate money to a no-kill shelter and to feline oncology vets.) Promote things which need promoting. (Save the planet. Protect endangered species.) Invest. (Give opportunities to talented kids who can't afford the education, arts training, books, instruments, and more that they want and deserve.) Save. (Save others. Save others. Save others.)

If someone said I had to earmark a certain amount for my own personal use, I'd save it all until I was nudged (read: forced) to spend it on myself. Were that to happen, I'd finally make my shows and films. Just typing that makes me want to cry. I'm serious. Money would enable me to finance my own productions. I could make my scripts come to life, hire worthy people, see my shows on screen and on stage, and record my own albums. That, along with seeing my books on the shelves, would make me so happy.

5) Places I have lived:

Different locations within the same state.

6) Jobs I have had:

Bookseller, webdesigner, actress, freelance journalist and researcher

Who I am and what I want to be known as: actress, singer, dancer, choreographer, director, novelist, playwright, screenwriter, songwriter

7) Tag: 6 people I wanna know more about (and in no particular order):

Gene Kelly
F. Scott Fitzgerald (neither of whom will be doing this meme, sadly)
Christopher Golden (who should ignore this and go back to his work-in-progress)
Lorie Ann Grover
Justina Chen Headley
Sarah Miller

Jenny Ziegler wants to know 15 of weird, random things about me. I decided to match her post point for point, using her list as the basis for mine.

1.) I have never been to Alaska.

2.) I have not heard Paul McCartney's song Little Willow. I know I will at some point, when the time is right.

3.) I like my hair.

4.) I have been given multiple shirts that say Rock Star and another that says Rock Angel.

5.) I rarely doodle. I tend to write full words and sentences instead.

6.) I mentioned geodes in a conversation two days ago.

7.) I like Sylvester simply because he's a cat. I also enjoy Bugs, Wile E. Coyote, and Gossamer.

8.) I enjoy intelligent wordplay.

9.) I like making lists. I like crossing completed tasks off of lists.

10.) I read one Alias book six years ago. It turns out that Jenny wrote it.

11.) I am a dancer who wishes she were more flexible.

12.) I have never been overseas.

13.) I have always had an active imagination, but never an imaginary friend. I didn't need one. I had Twinkie.

14.) I like accomplishing things.

15.) I've never been to a creek.

Maureen Johnson tagged me for the Five Things Meme. This is very flattering, but because I don't have a camcorder and thus can't film my response like I'm supposed to, I think I'm going to disappoint her with this plain text list. I apologize . . . and I've structured this list accordingly.

So, without further ado, here are five things you probably don't know about me and my interest in films.

1) If I had a camcorder, I'd be more likely to make the screenplays that exist only in my head into actual movies. I'd also film booktalks for this blog and slices of life for my own record. Furthermore, I need to make some sort of acting reel.

2) If I could jump back in time and land on the MGM backlot during the heyday of musicals, I would. Oh, to have worked with Gene Kelly! I'd also want to work with Cary Grant and Barbara Stanwyck. There are others I could name, but those three would be at the top of my list.

3) If and when I create my own production company, I know what I'm going to call it. I'm not going to reveal that name here, because I'm paranoid that someone will steal it. That paranoia is also what stops me from posting any of my original fiction, scripts, or songs* here. (That, and the fact that I don't have a voice recorder of any kind.)

4) If I am watching a movie or television program and giving it my full attention, then I must think it's pretty good. Usually, I'm writing, reading, dancing, doing ten things at once. I'm constantly multi-tasking.

5) If my life were like the movies, then music would accent moods, entrances, and exits. I think that would be pretty snazzy. I constantly have music playing out loud or in my head, or I'm singing. I sometimes wake up with a song in my head, like my waking pressed the play button.

This would be far more interesting if it were a video, wouldn't it?

Christopher Golden tagged me for the same meme last year.

Celebrate Banned Books Week!

The ALA website lists The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000.

( I have read many of them . . .  )

Additional Posts:

Learn more about Banned Books Week and consider my thoughts here or there.

The Alice McKinley series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor contains over twenty books that are frank, funny, dramatic, and realistic. I spotlighted the series in this post.

31 Flavorite Authors
Are you ready for the inside scoop?
Every night in October, a different YA author will chat with readers at the readergirlz forum starting at 5 PM PST/8 PM EST (with the exception of the Halloween chat, which will be held at 9 PM PST/12 AM midnight EST). This exclusive author interaction is part of the first-ever 31 Flavorite Authors event, supported by YALSA and Teen Read Week.

( View the line-up of authors! )

Mark your calendars, spread the news, visit readergirlz.com, read the October issue of readergirlz, friend the readergirlz MySpace page, and join the readergirlz group forum.

Download the 31 Flavorites poster, available in three sizes and formats: Large PDF, small PDF, and JPG.

Download and print the 31 Flavorites bookmark.

Readergirlz is a literacy project founded by four female authors - Justina Chen Headley, Lorie Ann Grover, Dia Calhoun and Janet Lee Carey - in an effort to encourage teenagers to read and discuss quality books featuring gusty girls, and to get active in their communities. For more information, please visit http://www.readergirlz.com

Little Willow
on behalf of postergirlz, the official advisory council for readergirlz

--

Here's A Tasty Quiz

About a week into October, I happened upon an ice cream quiz which I felt fit the 31 Flavorites theme. Here are my results:



I find this amusing, because although the busy-but-balanced description suits me, I do not drink coffee, nor do I drink or eat anything that tastes vaguely like coffee or contains caffeine. The smell of coffee gives me a headache, so I do not often go to coffee shops, and I tend to avoid the coffee aisle in the grocery store. I don't drink soda. I dislike the flavour and I really, really don't need caffeine.

Discuss your quiz results at the readergirlz forum.

Meanwhile, the readergirlz divas asked each participating author to name his or her favorite ice cream flavor.

( Read more... )

--

Come November

The success of 31 Flavorites was due to the hard work and good intentions shared by those in charge of and participating in the project, especially the divas. We reached readers of all ages, spoke with authors of various genres, and truly had people from all over the world attending the chats and discussing books.

Many thanks to the YALSA team and the readergirlz divas for expanding Teen Read Week into a month-long literacy fest.

Many thanks to the readers who supported 31 Flavorites, including new and regular posters at the readergirlz forum and my fabulous group of postergirlz.

Rock on, readergirlz!

The Something About Me Reading Challenge was created by Lisa, whose personal blog is called Breaking the Fourth Wall. This challenge, which began on August 1st, encourages bloggers to select up to 5 books that represent them in some way. As Lisa explains in the initial challenge post:

"[C]hoose some books that would help us get to know you. Then, on or by August 1st, choose a personal list of the books you want to read from everyone's lists of books. [ . . . ] This blog will provide the forum for discussions about the books we are reading."

Here are the books I have selected to represent me:

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - A beautifully imaginative story that many people know of but not everyone has actually read in the original form. Watching the 1972 musical film adaptation of the book, I shrieked, "Mom! Look! Alice has brown hair, like me!" Years later, I was delighted to find out that the real Alice, Alice Liddell, was also a brunette.

The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende - Because I loved the movie, I wanted to read the book. My mom got it for me, and I dug right in. People outside of my family doubted that someone so young could and had read a book that thick. I ignored their condescending assumptions and went back to my book.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - Upon opening this book for the very first time, I quickly noted, "The first paragraph is all one sentence." I love the entire series. Anne Shirley is intelligent, spunky, outspoken, and endearing.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin - "Turtle should be the first female president." (and) "I want to make this into a movie someday. I'll play Turtle." I am still upset that someone beat me to it. Then it aired on a channel we didn't get. I have yet to see it.

Body Bags by Christopher Golden - Since everything on my list so far was from my childhood, I wanted to select something I read as a young adult. I narrowed the field down to Body Bags and The Great Gatsby, two very different books. Since the latter is something I'm sure many of you have read, I selected Body Bags, the first of ten books in the well-written and well-researched Body of Evidence series. I hope those of you who haven't read it will pick it up!

See my post at the Challenge blog.

Want to humor me and play along here?
Which of these books have you already read?
Which of these books do you plan to read?
Do these books relate to you in any way?
What do these books tell you about me?
Please leave me a comment with your answers.

( Books from other participants' lists that I have already read )

( Books from other participants' lists that I plan to read, if not now, then at some point! )

Want to participate?
Visit the Something About Me Reading Challenge, leave a comment for Lisa with your email address, and, after receiving your blog invite/clearance, post your book at that blog.

Thanks to Sarah Miller for repeatedly urging me to take part in this challenge.

Billy Hooten keeps his identity as Owlboy a secret because he doesn't think anyone would believe him, and because he wants something that is his and his alone.

If you were a superhero, would you keep it a secret?

Leave a comment below and let me know!

Related Posts: Billy Hooten, Owlboy

Emily of Whimsy Books has declared July 16th Tell An Author You Care Day.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the authors who have shared their stories with the world and, in doing so, touched mine.

I would have loved to have met and worked with many people who were gone before I existed, and it is to them I dedicate my next paragraph:

To Jack London, who is well-liked by my mother and whose controversial death raised the eyebrows of my third-grade teacher during my author biography report. To L.M. Montgomery and Charles Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll, who created characters who were intelligent, curious, and determined. To Michael Ende, whose story will never end. To F. Scott Fitzgerald, whose light at the end of the dock helped me to ignore my eleventh-grade classmates when they complained about my high grades.

I would like to thank the authors who have shared their time with me over the past few years. Thank you for the interviews, the words of encouragement, and the sweet and surprising letters and emails. I was reluctant to single out any modern authors, because that, as the phrase implies, leaves out others. I hope that the others know who they are and how much they are appreciated.

To all of the authors who have chosen little ol' me to design, run, and/or update their websites: Christopher Golden. Tom Sniegoski. Jennifer Lynn Barnes. The readergirlz divas: Justina Chen Headley, Lorie Ann Grover, Janet Lee Carey and Dia Calhoun. Kristen Tracy. Mitali Perkins. Sarah Miller. Liz Gallagher. Laurie Faria Stolarz. Micol Ostow. There are a few more folks who are incredibly busy with life/deadlines/manuscripts and want me to do their websites when they come up for air. Thank you in advance.

I simply must thank my Boston Boys.

To Thomas E. Sniegoski, the guy with the six-syllable name that's a tongue-twister to my customers, but to me is simply Tom. Dogs are to Tom as cats are to me. He knows that pets are family. Tom is also wicked funny. He makes me laugh so hard that I start crying, and I continue laughing so hard that I can't speak clearly. Ah, good times, good times. Thanks, boy-o.

To Christopher Golden, who makes me smile whenever he calls me Supergirl. This event is well-timed: Chris celebrated his birthday just yesterday. I can't believe that I've known him for ten years now! I may never had made his acquaintance nor had the online or real-life jobs that I had and that I still do if it weren't for the internet. I read his books, I liked his books, and I told him so online. Before I knew it, I had a job updating his website and doing online publicity for his books. More importantly, he became my friend. Thanks, Chris. You rock.

I hope that you too will participate in Tell An Author You Care Day. Emily's suggestions include:
1. Write a letter or an email to a favorite author.
2. Write a positive book review.
3. Buy a book by a favorite author and give it to someone who will enjoy it.
4. Profile an author on your blog.

Related Posts:
Author Spotlights, Christopher Golden, Tom Sniegoski

The YA Authors Cafe is having a series of open discussions based on questions submitted by authors and bloggers. They have posted my question:

Why do you read? Do you look for books that are similar to YOUR life or vastly different?

I don't necessarily seek out books with plots which are similar to my own life. I'm grateful that my life hasn't been as predictable or as angst-ridden as those depicted in many books.

I read to relate AND to escape. Sometimes, I need a book to distract me from real life; other times, I need a book that calms me down.

I read a wide variety of books because I enjoy a variety of topics. I enjoy books that make me think. I'm just as likely to pick up a book about mathematics as I am about Ancient Egypt. I'll read a new teen fiction release one day and a classic British novel the next.

I read fiction because I love stories.

I read non-fiction because I love truth.

I read every single day because I love words.

Thank you to the Cafe for selecting and sharing my topic, and thank you everyone who has answered thus far.

You may post your answers here at Bildungsroman and/or at the Cafe.

I'm curious as to the readership of this blog. All answers to the actual polls are private, but please feel free to leave comments on this entry too.

How old are you?
12 or younger
13 to 18
Twentysomething
Thirtysomething
Fortysomething
Fifty or over


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What is your favorite feature of Bildungsroman?
Booklists
Book reviews
Author interviews
Other (Leave a comment below)


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How did you discover Bildungsroman?
I know you in real life
I followed your BtVS-related sites
You are a friend of a friend on LJ
I clicked a link from another blog
Other (Please leave comment below)


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How often do you check the Bildungsroman blog?
Daily
A few times a week
Weekly
Monthly
Rarely


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How often do you check the Bildungsroman website?
Daily
A few times a week
Weekly
Monthly
Rarely


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How many times have you read a book based on my recommendations?
Never
Once
A handful of times
A dozen times
Too many to count


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I would also like to know:
Which of my booklists have you found the most helpful?
Which of my author interviews did you find the most humorous? The most informative?
Have you used any of my booklists in your classroom/home/bookstore/library/book group?
Have you used any of my book recommendations in your classroom/home/bookstore/library/book group?

Feel free to leave booklist requests, suggestions, and additional feedback in the comments below! Thank you!