Cover Love Tuesday (2)...Belated!

I guess this whole regular feature thing is going to take a while to get used to, since I forgot all about Cover Love Tuesday, where I blog about some extremely awesome covers. This week I'm going to take a look at one book on my To Be Read pile and one book I've read--and really enjoyed--before.

My first pick:
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley, YA, published in February 2009
Now I haven't read this book yet, but what I really love about it the cover--besides having a stunning photograph--is how well it fits the book's description. From what I know, North of Beautiful is about a beautiful girl with a port wine stain on a side of her face. This cover captures that beauty, but it also captures that feeling of embarrassment and hiding that I hope will be explored in the book's pages. Overall, I think the photo has an emotional quality to it. The map compass thing (don't know the word for it, I'm afraid) is a good addition because, from reading the first chapter or so, I know the character has an interest in leaving town and a connection to mapping and geography. Thematically, maybe the image is hinting that the main character will be dealing with her direction in life. This cover was one of the main things that attracted me towards this book, as well as some stellar reviews!

My second pick:
Dramarama by E. Lockhart, YA, published in 2007

I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I am a huge E. Lockhart fan! I really enjoyed this book. Needless to say, I enjoyed the cover as well. The black and white, the hair, the lipstick (especially since it's pink and pops out), etc., just look good together and make me think old-fashioned and classy. It also reminds me of theater, putting me into a place of pre-show jitters when you're hurrying to get on your makeup and costume. Also, I like the model's eyebrows--random, I know--and the entire effect of the author's name across the eyes; it's a good alternative to headless body covers and the like. The spine of this book stands out a lot too.

Thanks for reading. Hopefully Cover Love Tuesday (3) will come on time next week!

Cover Love Tuesday (1)

So I think I mentioned earlier that I wanted to start having some regular features. This is the first one. Obviously it's titled Cover Love Tuesday. Each Tuesday I'll pick 1, 2, or maybe even 3 books with awesome covers that I love! The books may be forthcoming, or they may have been out for a while. I may have read them or I may not have. I may have liked them or I may have hated them. Most of them will be YA, but I can't guarantee other books from other genres won't make the cut. The most important thing on Cover Love Tuesday is the covers, after all!

My first pick:
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood, YA, published in 2007

To me, this cover is absolutely gorgeous...totally unique, with a fun, magical vibe that matches the book. I really like the flowers everywhere, and I love the girl's eye makeup. And of course, you've got to love the funky hair, those big lips, and that expression behind her eyes. Overall, this book cover is colorful and cute and an A plus in my book.

My second pick:
Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia by Cindy Pon, YA, to be published in summer 2009

I'm going to be honest. I was not in love with this cover at first sight. I liked it well enough, but I thought there was something odd about it that I couldn't just put my finger on. Soon enough I started to love this cover and realized that I was mistaking odd for different--good different. What I love about this cover is the richness and shine of the pink fabric the girl's wearing, and most of all, the color of that pink. Her pose and facial expression (the latter of which is decidedly unemotional, which makes me even more curious about this book) are also interesting...unconventional even. The dragons in the background are a great, detailed touch. This book will stand out on the shelves, and I, for one, plan on picking it off one!

Check out Maryrose Wood's site and Cindy Pon's to find out more about their books, and feel free to share your thoughts about these covers in the comments. Also, please check back for more regular features coming soon!

The Catcher in the Rye

I just finished reading it for the first time. It was so awesome. I feel like there was so much deep stuff in there, though, that I've barely skimmed the surface, that to fully appreciate everything I might have to reread it a couple of times...sort of how I felt after reading The Great Gatsby (which is also another really good book). I don't mean, however, that the book wasn't incredibly powerful the first time around, because it was. I'm tempted to share some of the moments particularly and more of my in-depth thoughts, but I'm not sure there would be any interest in that; plus, I don't want to spoil anything.

Instead I'll just say that I loved it and that I found Holden so easy to relate to and identify with, even if some people may not like him. I think that every teenager would at least recognize themselves in Holden once in the novel, if not more than that. Maybe that's one of the reasons the book feels like such a classic coming-of-age story to me and definitely a Young Adult novel,
even if that distinction was not necessarily around at the time.

Thoughts on The Catcher in the Rye anyone? Any agreements that it has to be one of the ultimate YA novels, even if it technically isn't one? (Of course, I haven't read nearly enough books to be able to make this an educated claim, but whatever...) Does anyone else really love the title and how it came into play in the book?

And one last thing: I have to suggest checking out John Green's videos on The Catcher in the Rye. They really helped me get a better grasp on the book, and they were highly entertaining, because, uh, duh, it's John Green. Here's the intro, part one, and part two.

2009 Hopes

Did everyone have a merry Christmas? I had a very nice holiday (and actually, I'm still on break from school--woo!). I went to a lovely Christmas Eve mass, got to spend some time with my family, and also got some fabulous presents.

I guess the next logical thing to address in this blog would be the new year. Of course, I could share some resolutions. The only thing is...um, I don't have any as of yet...not anything realistic anyway. That's why I've decided to share some of my hopes for 2009 instead. Without further ado...

1. It'll be an overall awesome year!
2. I'll do well on my SATs.
3. I'll not be totally stressed out over the whole senior year, college application thing coming up in the second half of the year.
4. The musical I'm in will go swimmingly.
5. My book will sell. Pretty please.
6. I will finish all the books I have in progress at the moment and possibly finish a first draft of a new one.

Anyone else, hopes for 2009?

"Books make great gifts because they never come in the wrong size."

Yesterday I went Christmas shopping. Seriously, malls during the holiday season are insane...and not at all like the surprisingly serene picture to the left.

Despite being a teenage girl, I am not a big fan of shopping. In fact, the only things I really like shopping for are books (because, duh, they're books!) and purses (cute, and really one size fits all). To me, the mall is no safe haven. It is a place that quickly grows boring unless I'm there with plenty of friends. Add to that large crowds and long lines and the pressure to find the perfect gift, and it's a recipe for a Megan Shopping Meltdown, which I have been known to have.

Speaking of shopping meltdowns, last night I watched Jingle All The Way with Arnold Schwarzenegger. If you haven't seen it, it's about a workaholic dad who forgets about buying his son a Turbo Man action figure until Christmas Eve. He's determined to find one to make up for missing his son's karate lesson. It's kind of a ridiculous movie (the ending involves lots of flying on a jet pack), but its scenes of Christmas Eve shopping madness rang true. I'm glad that I am only sixteen and am not a parent having to fight tooth and nail for the season's hottest toy.

Though, I guess it does say something about our society that parents feel it such a necessity to get their kids the hottest toy. Honestly, a lot of the big Christmas gifts I've gotten haven't worked out. I used them for a while, then I moved on. I got a guitar a couple years ago, and I still haven't learned how to play it I feel pretty bad about that one, actually. The point is, kids don't really need the hottest toy out there. There are things that are more important, like having nice family memories and spending time together, which actually is the message of Jingle All The Way.

Back to my own shopping...it went fairly well. Though it was too crowded for my taste, the mall wasn't overly chaotic. I got some cute little gifts to give to my friends, a DVD for my mom, and books for my aunt and brother. I have one more book to get today, and then I'll be done.

As most writers do, I love giving people books. Many of you have probably seen the youtube video about how books make great gifts. If not, check it out! I've got to say, I also hope I get some books too, or at least a gift card to my favorite bookstore. For once, I don't have a huge To Be Read pile, and I really want to go shopping for some books of my own.

How has everyone else been surviving the malls, and what books do you guys have on your wish lists? And, of course, thoughts on Jingle All The Way are welcomed!

Credit for the Christmas pic goes to Paul Keleher, and the image of Jingle All The Way came from Overstock.

Two Hour Delay And Talking About Writing

Today we have a two hour delay.

Gotta love a two hour delay.

Also today, I'm giving a talk about writing. Yes, me. I haven't even sold my book yet, but one of my teachers from middle school knows about my agent and my two short story sales; she thinks I'd have something to offer her students. I'm going to talk about taking initiative, doing your research, rejection (even sharing a couple!), comparing your journey to another writer's, the waiting required, finding your niche, and the most important thing of all for young writers (actually, for ALL writers), revision! Now that I think about it, my journey towards publication has taught me a lot. Toughened me up. Made me realize that not everybody is going to like everything I do. That I'm not necessarily some writing prodigy and that's okay. That things, for the most part, don't happen overnight.

Don't worry, though. I still have a healthy share of naive optimism!

In the comments section, please tell me what you've learned from your writing journey and what you would share with middle school students.

A New Favorite Book And Acknowledgements

Right now I'm reading Airhead by Meg Cabot (which I'll probably give my thoughts on later), but just before that, I read I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. This book is one of my new favorites, even if it happens to be a lot older than me. I figured I might as well take this opportunity to rave about it!

In the book, seventeen-year-old Cassandra Thompson lives with her family--a once renowned writer father who hasn't worked for years, an over-the-top, wannabe artsy but nonetheless kind stepmother, and a discontent older sister named Rose--in a run-down English castle. While her sister may be more focused on their horrible poverty, Cassandra is focused on improving her writing skills. She seeks to capture her family and their castle in her journals. The plot picks up when two young American men arrive in town. Rose sees one of them as her chance to get married and help the family out of poverty. At first, Cassandra is fine leaving the romance to her sister, but soon enough, Cassandra is finding love hard to resist--and much more complicated than she ever could've dreamed.

I don't know how to quite describe the writing, other than superb. Even when not much seemed to be happening plot-wise, I had to keep turning the pages. The characters were interesting and well-developed, especially Cassandra, whose journal entries were insightful and emotionally powerful. Normally I'm bored by lots of description, but Cassandra's vivid descriptions were beautiful and pulled me into her life.

Overall, this book just felt warm and fuzzy and fascinating. I loved it! Oh, and so did J.K. Rowling. If a book has a blurb by J.K. Rowling, it has to be good.

In other news, I wrote an acknowledgments page today. And no, I haven't even sold my book yet. I couldn't help it, though. Something perfect for an acknowledgments page randomly popped into my head, so I had to write it down....and of course, I couldn't just stop there, could I? Has anyone else indulged in such embarrassing behavior? Please tell me I'm not alone!

Edited To Add: Check out Reviewer X this week for a lot of cool posts and contests. It's one of my favorite YA review blogs out there...plus, you know, free books are awesome. I'm definitely going to try and win me some!

I watch Hannah Montana...

This is my first post on this blog, and I've got to say, I'm pretty excited. I am a big blog reader, though I'm not much of a participant. I've tried at blogging a few times before, but it never really worked out. I'm hoping this will.

Anyway, as it says in my "About Me" section, I'm a sixteen-year-old aspiring writer. I finished my first novel on my thirteenth birthday. A couple novels and about two years later, I got an awesome agent, and now my YA novel is making the rounds.

Even if it seems kind of mature to be so into publishing at my age, I am definitely a regular (albeit kind of nerdy) teenager.

For one, I watch Hannah Montana. In fact, I have Hannah Montana on in the background right now. It's not a particularly good show, I suppose, and yet I watch it...and watch it...Same with many other shows on Disney. Of course, I also watch The Office, 30 Rock, Heroes, and The Amazing Race.

A bigger indicator of my total teenage-ness: my huge crush on Nick Jonas from the very teen-friendly band the Jonas Brothers! I have a not-so-secret dream of my book becoming a Disney Channel Original Movie, them casting Nick Jonas, and then me getting to visit the set and, of course, meet him and have the two of us fall in love, etc. Okay, so it might be a tad unrealistic, but whatever. A girl can dream, right?

I also attend school like most teenagers. It is boring. Anyone who goes to high school knows that. I'm a good student, but that doesn't really translate into me enjoying myself. Especially when it comes to gym class.

Writing just happens to be my passion, and I feel so blessed that, at my age, I actually have a passion and things I'd like to do with my life. I hope to be a Creative Writing major in college, and if I can't be a full-time writer when I'm older, do something in the publishing industry. Speaking of the future, college is feeling awfully close, which is awfully freaky.

So overall....yeah, I'm just a teenager. Who writes. And who will now be writing here and sharing some random thoughts with you! I hope you all stick around and keep up with my blog, not to mention leave comments.

A little comment jump-starter: If you are a teenager, what about you and your life is quintessentially teen-like? If you're past your teenage years, feel free to reminisce in the comment section!

Thanks everyone!

And thanks to the awesome Flickr users our there for the pictures of Nick and of Hannah!