Other Stuff

That page 123 meme, with Boy Meets Boy

bmb_cover_150_250.jpg I've been tagged by awesome author Sara Hantz!It's one I've kind of wanted to do! So yay. 1. Pick up the nearest book. 2. Open to page 123 3. Find the fifth sentence. 4. Post the next three sentences. 5. Tag five people and post a comment to the person who tagged you once you've posted your three sentences. The book: Boy Meets Boy, by David Levithan (it's signed!) Three sentences: "Well, she never mentioned that part, but I suppose it could happen." I am not cheered up. Then, to make matters worse, Infinite Darlene coos, "So, sweetheart, are you ready for the committee meeting sixth period?" (I may be cheating, but I'll tell you that Infinite Darlene is both the football team quarterback and the homecoming queen, and she's fabulous!) And now I need 5 people to tag, but really I'm just going to say, do this meme if you're so moved, and let me know that I inspired you to do it by commenting below. It's a fun one! PS-Remember: There's still one more day to try to win Thirteen Reasons Why!

Marketing Monday: Me, Beth Kephart and Liz Gallagher

Justinecover.jpg I know some of you guys are averse to reading reviews, and I totally get that, but I just had to say that I loved sharing space with the lyrical Beth Kephart (who blogged about our new friendship earlier this spring) and Liz Gallagher, whose book I see everywhere and I can't wait to read!In Justine magazine's latest issue, you can find a review of all three of our books (posted below--just click on it to see it up close). I especially like the right-to-the-point "Why You Should Read It" parts at the end of each review. You might get some new titles for your to-read list here... just sayin'. Justinemag.jpg PS-If you're a teenager and live in one of the below states and have read the amazing book RED, email me NOW. I have an awesome writing opportunity for you! (Girl reviews needed from: HI, KS, GA, KY, IL, MN, NV, NJ, OH, PA, RI, TX, UT, WV, OR, MO). Offer expires Wednesday.

Ah, Veronica

514EFGGJN4L._SL500_AA240_.jpg So, the fashion editor at the magazine where I'm freelancing for a few weeks handed me this book and told me I should read it. "It's kinda like your book," she said. "But for adults." It's dark and deep and a beautiful read. I stumbled across this character description today and just swooned..."At night, she sailed out wearing absurd clothes as if they were Givenchy gowns. Once when I complimented her on one of her mismatched earrings, she pointed at the sky and said, 'That earring means, Don't look at my finger; look at the moon.'" How silly and lovely and brilliant and mad! I adore characters like that, especially fashionable ones. Isn't it fun to find the wild and crazy beautiful people in life? The book is called Veronica, and it's by Mary Gaitskill. I like it that I have a "Veronica" in Violet on the Runway, too. Fate? Oh, and I had to tell you about this contest, which is a good one, at a fun blog called Presenting Lenore. (And yes, that mention gets me another entry... hey, I like to win stuff too!)

Win-It Wednesday: Thirteen Reasons Why

Love, love, love all the ideas about what era you'd like to live in (or visit). I think I agree with some of you that it would be fun to go back for a medieval ball or a San Francisco 60s-style protest, but the here and now is pretty much where I'd like to stay in a permanent way. However, one of you will get transported back in time with Shannon Hale's Book of a Thousand Days, and the randomly chosen winner is... feudal-loving Ink! Send me your address, I.cover_thirteenreasons.jpg This week, I'm giving away a copy of Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why. I actually read this book because a bunch of you guys mentioned it in blog comments (I'm listening!), and I'm glad I did. In case you don't know, it's about a girl who commits suicide and leaves tapes that describe why she did it... the protagonist is a boy named Clay who receives the tapes one day. We listen along with him... and Hannah's story is incredibly touching, not to mention eerie (I can't imagine listening to it on audio!). And not to get shallow, but don't you just adore what Hannah's wearing on the cover? Those soft ballet hues and the gorgeous shoes? So lovely. Anyway, to win a copy of Jay's fantastic debut, just comment below and tell me what you're looking forward to as summer approaches. I'm going to my first backyard bbq on Saturday, so that's mine--hot dogs and burgers and watermelon and sunshine!

Marketing Monday: Blog Awards

ArteYPico.jpg The lovely Jenn picked my blog to win the Arte Y Pico award, and it's pretty fancy. Thanks, Jenn!Here are the rules: 1. Pick 5 blogs that deserve the award for creativity, design, interesting material, and also contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language. 2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his/her blog to be visited by everyone. 3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her/him the award itself. 4. The Award winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of Arte Y Pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award. (Espero que hable espanol!) 5. To show these rules. So I guess it's pay it forward time: Kwana Writes: Author Kwana Jackson keeps us up to date with her dog Jack, and she's also totally on top of pop culture (all the best shows only). Teen Fashionista: She's more on top of the magazine world than I am... and I work in it! Beauty Blogging Junkie: Without Fabulista, how could I ever keep up with new Bonne Bell stuff? Twinkle Juice: My friend Jessica takes gorgeous kid photos. I mean, the girl is seriously good. Oh Very Young: Author Alexa Young's site, which is saucy and contest-filled. Just fun ones to check out, and I thought this would be a good Marketing Monday because I still can't figure out how to get a blogroll going on Movable Type. Anyone have an idea?

Photo Friday: Mom Visit!

Mom is here! Yay! Here's us a while ago, on my grandparents' old farm in West Virginia (no jokes--WVA is beautiful!). Feel free, however, to make fun of my heavily patterned, ruffle-strap overalls.mom%20and%20mel%20young-1.jpg Don't you love mom moments? Happy Weekend!

Win-It Wednesday: Shannon Hale's Book of a Thousand Days

You guys are way more artistic than I am, which was fun to hear about! The winner of Kelly Parra's Graffiti Girl, as chosen randomly, is... Amy K! Send me your address, A.511jir4GNTL._SL500_AA240_.jpg This week, I'm giving away a copy of Shannon Hale's lovely Book of a Thousand Days. I haven't read many books of this kind. You know, set in the days of ladies and handmaids and gentlemen kings. It is such a beautifully written tale, and I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns. I think you guys will love it! So, to win, just tell me what time period you've dreamed of living in. I used to think I'd want to hang out in the late 1950s, with all the gorgeous Grace Kelly-esque styles and the soda-shop dates (two straws, one drink). But then I consider all the social problems that were swirling with racism and the start of the Vietnam war and all that stuff, so I'm not sure that's my ideal era. But I'm rambling. Anyway, I want to hear from you, so comment below and you're entered! Yay!

Marketing Monday: Guest Blog from Maggie Marr

secrets_225.jpg Today, Maggie Marr, author of Secrets of The Hollywood Girls Club (and Hollywood insider herself), is here to guest blog. She very appropriately wrote about fashion (well, sort of). Take it away, Maggie!My Turquoise String Bikini Summer approaches. Swimsuit season is upon us. So today I write about something that is near and dear to my heart, something that changed my life, something that I will never forget and I will always love... A turquoise string bikini. An itty-bitty adorable once-in-a-lifetime you are lucky to find string bikini. My family moved two times during my Freshman year of High School causing me to attend three schools in approximately twelve months. I started High School the "new girl" fifteen hundred miles from all my old friends. The second move occurred in April of my Freshman Year. This time I left my new High School for the fairly small city of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. But in Normal, Illinois, I didn't get to go to High School. Oh no, no, no, in Normal, Illinois, I got to return to Junior High. Yes... Junior High. As in Middle School. Now I don't know about you, but for me, even in my old hometown, with all my great friends, Junior High, aka Middle School, well it sucked. Completely, irrevocably, absolutely and without question sucked. So now, at the end of the school year, after attending High School, I returned to Junior High in a small community with a bunch of ninth graders who'd just spent the last three years of their lives bonding. Can I just say, "the new girl" from Chicago wasn't welcomed with open arms. The beginning of my Freshman year I looked like I was twelve. I have the pictures to prove it. But over nine months I changed. By June, I no longer looked twelve, instead, to the chagrin of my Mother, I looked twenty. And it was that summer with no friends, no social life, and no prospects for either, that I found and purchased in a very un-Maggie moment, my turquoise bikini. At fifteen, with no friends, no life, and really not much but the bikini going for me, I had the audacity, the courage, the chutzpah to put that itty bitty oh-so-lovely string bikini on my newly minted (thank you hormones) body and go to the pool. I remember feeling shocked the first time I slipped off my white t-shirt, plopped my nearly naked body down on a lounge chair and lay in the sun. But I also remember that I felt free. I felt alive. I felt good. I didn't care what anyone said. I didn't care what anyone thought. I didn't care who looked, who gossiped who whispered... And I believe that my feelings of just being okay with myself and my body, were what caused me to meet two girls by the pool that summer. Two girls that became and still are my best friends. So this summer as swimsuit season approaches, be bold, be brave, be impulsive... buy the string bikini and wear it. The end. I am digging Maggie. And if you're looking for your own bold summer bikini, might I suggest the ones below (just a couple of looks I love... in that blue theme... that are on sale!). prodImage-1.jpegprodImage.jpeg Links here and here.