DeAnna Diaries

Wintergirls monologue: Laurie Halse Anderson

2010-03-11T16:00:00.000-08:00

Food is life. I have no idea how much I weigh. This scares me almost to death, but I'm working on it. I'm beginning to measure myself in strength, not pounds. Sometimes in smiles.

I read a lot. Emerson, Thoreau, Watts. The Bible, a couple of pages. The Bhagavad Gita, Dr. Seuss. I write awkward, random poetry. Our floor goes on a field trip to a restaurant. I eat a waffle with syrup and I ask for more. They're teaching me how to play bridge. I'm not interested in poker. All bets are off.

I'm spinning the silk threads of my story, weaving the fabric of my world. The tiny elf dancer became a wooden doll whose strings were jerked by people not paying attention. I spun out of control. Eating was hard. Breathing was hard. Living was hardest.

I wanted to swallow the bitter seeds of forgetfulness. Cassie did, too. We leaned on each other, lost in the dark and wandering in endless circles. She got too tired and went to sleep. Somehow, I dragged myself out of the dark and asked for help.

I spin and weave and knit my words and visions until a life starts to take shape. There is no magic cure, no making it all go away forever. There are only small steps upward; an easier day, an unexpected laugh, a mirror that doesn't matter anymore.

I am thawing.

Sonnet

2009-10-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

I woke today and saw that right outside,

That from the sky the sun had gone away.

The clouds now knew my mood and thus they cried,

I fear I might not ever see the day.

The only thing I know is just to pray.

I cannot see a ray of light from here,

I wish I knew what I could even say.

It really seems impossible to cheer,

The rain will never stop is what I fear.

I try to fix the mess this has become,

It does not help; I cannot see the clear.

I feel always perpetually glum.

I fear to speak but always do I dream,

That finally one day the sun will gleam.

You'll never guess.

2009-08-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

"But for me it's better to keep

all my flaws and thoughts locked

up safe, where the only person

who can judge me is

myself."

You'll never guess where

this quote comes from ;)

Wild at Heart.

2009-08-24T14:46:00.001-07:00

"That rebel moon is shinin'

Those stars burn like diamonds

Hell bent on chasin' down that crazy slide

I'll follow you where you're leading

To the first sweet taste of freedom

You got me runnin' baby

Wild at heart"

Gloriana + the beach + friends and family = <3

I think this speaks for itself..

2009-08-21T15:06:00.001-07:00

What do you think? ;)

The Nightmare.

2009-08-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

Video by me and my sisters. Watch it. Your life will never be the same ;)

I'm only me when I'm with you.

2009-08-13T18:12:00.001-07:00

I love my sister,

and Taylor Swift is the best <3

Along For the Ride giveaway

2009-06-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

For those interested, there's an Along For the Ride giveaway here. The contest ends on June 26. Go check it out!

Video for Along For the Ride

2009-06-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

This is a cool video that Sarah Dessen had on her blog. It's promoting her new book Along For the Ride which is on sale June 16. Enjoy!

Find more videos like this on Sarah-land

Wintergirls

2009-05-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

by Laurie Halse Anderson

"Dead girl walking," the boys say in the halls.

"Tell us your secret," the girls whisper, one toilet to another.

I am that girl.

I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.

I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Wow. wow. wow. This book was stunning and intense. It's the kind of book that you have to put down for a while before you continue reading. It was almost frightening at times to be inside Lia's head. To hear herself rationalize what she was doing. There was one line that she said over and over to herself that just shocked me,

"::Stupid/ugly/stupid/bitch/stupid/fat/

stupid/baby/stupid/loser/stupid/lost::"

This book was so real. So many girls see themselves this way and so they cut and starve their bodies. Lia never saw herself as anorexic, she saw herself as strong. Throughout the book you see examples of her controlling her thoughts around food; telling herself that she doesn't need that muffin, or that pizza makes her gag. I don't know how the author pulled this book off. It was amazing and scary at the same time. Everything about this book is so brilliant. This is, so far, my favorite book from 2009.

Waiting For You

2009-05-29T11:50:00.001-07:00

by Susane Colasanti

I don't even know how to give a synopsis of this book without making it sound SO shallow and cheesy. But it's not. If you decide to read this book, do me a favor and don't read the synopsis that comes with it. It will make you want to throw the book in the trash. Trust me. So instead of trying to tell you the plot, I'm going to describe the way I felt about the book.

This book is about a boy and a girl (of course) but it's also so much more than that. It's about how everyone is always waiting for something. We're waiting to grow up, waiting to find true love, waiting to discover our purpose in life. Teens especially are always waiting for things to change. This book grasps that so well. The writing is not brilliant, but the story is truly thought prevoking. It's about a girl who is struggling with an anxiety disorder. She over analyzes everything that goes on in her life and at school, and it drives her crazy. She creates this image in her mind of the "perfect guy" that she thinks she wants to be with, when in reality he's not the guy she thought she knew. I loved how the family seemed completely normal for the first half of the book, but then the parents got a divorce and ruined it. Overall this book is a very easy read, and completely worth it. You just have to be willing to look beyond the high school drama and dig for the good stuff, and I promise you it's there.

Quote and Picture.

2009-04-20T14:55:00.001-07:00

"So I just decided to relax into it,

bumpy and crazy as it might be,

and try for once to just go...

Along For the Ride."

-Sarah Dessen.

Laurie Halse Anderson Book Signing!

2009-04-04T14:45:00.000-07:00

I had the amazing opportunity to see THE Laurie Halse Anderson at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina! I went with a bunch of my friends; and you probably know two of them, Emily and Traci (also fellow bloggers). This was one of the best nights of my life. She spoke about her new book, Wintergirls, and then went on to talk about anything and everything! She spoke a lot about anorexia, seeing as how that's what the book is all about. It really opened my eyes to how serious this illness really is. She was so authentic when she spoke. There was no fluff, she just says it like it is and it's all real. I love that.

She then went on to give advice to aspiring authors. She

answered many questions and everything she said was so inspiring. It's hard, having dreams, especially when they seem SO out of reach. But her advice really made me feel confident in my dreams and made me want to pursue them. (I know that sounds REALLY cheesy, but it's very true) Thankfully we taped it, and her powerful words will stay with me for a very long time.

Emily and I before the event.

Traci and I before LHA spoke!

Here's a picture of me with LHA herself. I got a signed copy of her book *squee!*

Here's a video that Emily and I made. We were feeling random and bored while we were waiting. We have another video of LHA speaking, and so I'll upload that soon. Enjoy! (P.S. I talk too much, sorry!)

The Patron Saint of Butterflies

2009-03-20T08:01:00.001-07:00

by Cecilia Galante

Agnes and Honey have been best friends their whole lives, yet they could not be more different. They live in a religious commune called Mount Blessing. Agnes diligently seeks the life of a saint, while Honey wants nothing to do with that life. Their friendship is put to the test when Honey questions the commune and it's leader, Emmanuel. When Agnes' grandmother Nana Pete comes for a visit, she discovers the commune's most horrible secret. Fearing for their safety, she takes the girls and leaves Mount Blessing. Agnes struggles to cling to the life she once had, and Honey tries to bring out the friend she used to have in Agnes. Only when the biggest lie is uncovered does Agnes finally realize that she has the courage to create her own future.

Wow, just..wow. I read The Patron Saint of Butterflies because it was on Miss Erin's Top Favorites of 2008. I don't think I have ever been so involved in a story before. This book was so interactive, which I loved. The writing was incredible and basically lept off the page. The kind of writing that pulls me into the story for days. While reading this story I felt trapped and suffocated. I saw how these people were living and I knew how warped their thinking was. I just kept wanting to yell at them and tell them how insane they are for following Emmanuel. I felt so many different emotions that I just couldn't contain. It was brilliant. It felt more like an experience than something I was reading.

This book was completely wonderful. It's definitely one of my absolute favorites.

Paper Towns

2009-03-12T07:25:00.001-07:00

by John Green

Quinten Jacobsen has been in love with Margo Roth Spiegelman since the day she moved next door to him. They were young friends that grew apart as they entered middle and high school. Quinten admires Margo from afar and distantly remains in love with this mysterious, and adventurous girl that he once knew. Quinten is surprised when one night, Margo climbs into his room through the window dressed like a ninja. She asks him to accompany her as she seeks revenge, and of course Quinten reluctantly follows her. The next morning, "Q" is surprised to find that Margo has mysteriously disappeared. He discovers clues that could lead to Margo, and those clues are meant for him.

I was surprised when I read Paper Towns, in many ways. The beginning was not as boring as I thought it was going to be. It was a very easy read, but it was also very gripping and interesting. I couldn't put it down. Especially the second half of the book, when you start learning more and more about the real Margo. There were some things that bothered me though. There was a lot of crude humor that I found annoying, and there was a decent amount of language throughout the book. But looking past all that, it was such a compelling story that I would definitely recommend to anyone!

3 Willows

2009-03-10T11:56:00.000-07:00

by Ann Brashares

I have read all four of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books. The writing never amazed me, but the stories were always intriguing. I loved the idea of four best friends united by a magical pair a pants. I was basically obsessed with these books. So when I saw that Ann Brashares had started a completely different "sisterhood", I knew I had to read it.

This book is about three girls; Polly, Ama, and Jo. The story line takes place during the summer before their freshman year of high school. Like many friends, these girls have started going their separate ways. Ama is focused on nothing else but getting good grades. Jo thinks of nothing except fitting in with the "right" people. And Polly isn't sure exactly where she fits in. Unlike the other books, the girls aren't united by a pair of pants, but by three willow trees.

This book was cute and definitely kept me reading. But the writing didn't leap off the page. The writing was just mediocre. I kept looking for more within her writing, and I just couldn't find it. I also didn't like how often she changes perspectives. She goes along on one story line and then switches to another. I think this book is a better fit for girls who like a light story line without much depth. But if you have a hard time reading and find yourself getting bored, then this book is probably for you. The writing is very clear and easy to understand.

North of Beautiful

2009-03-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

by Justina Chen Headley

To summmarize this book in one word, I would say that it's just beautiful. First off, the cover is amazing. And second, I love the name of the main character. Terra. Isn't that the coolest name? It's so unique, I love it. But this book is so much more than a pretty cover and a girl with a cool name.

North of Beautiful is about a girl whose whole life has been characterized by the shame of a birthmark on her face. She spends hours each day applying makeup to cover up her noticable "flaw". She lives within a broken family and has a father who she can always count on to make her feel less than important. She has gone through countless procedures to create a face that might appear "beautiful". Like many teens, Terra is in a relationship only because she doesn't think anyone else would want her. This book is about relationships, ones that tear us apart and ones that hold us together. It's about the meaning of the word "beautiful" and how it means so many different things to different people. This book is such an inspiration to me. It made me want to travel, especially to China. It made me curious about geocatching. But more than anything, it made me want to live. The writing throughout the entire book was spectacular. I kept re reading sentences over and over again because the writing was so brilliant. It's the kind of book I want to write one day.

I was having such a hard time describing this book because I don't think I could ever do it justice. It's just phenomenal. Definitely one of the best books I've ever read! You will not be disappointed.

By Your Side

2009-03-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

This is a song that really stood out to me when I heard it. I've been listening to it a lot lately because it mentions a lot of stuff that I've been struggling with. It also helps to remind me that no matter what uncertainties I'm facing, I'm not alone.

By Your Side

by: Tenth Avenue North

Why are you striving these days

Why are you trying to earn grace

Why are you crying

Let me lift up your face

Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love

Why are you still searching

as if I'm not enough

To where will you go child

Tell me where will you run

To where will you run

And I'll be by your side

Wherever you fall

In the dead of night

Whenever you call

And please don't fight

These hands that are

holding you

My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side

They swallowed the grave on that night

When I drank the world's sin

So I could carry you in

And give you life

I want to give you life

And I'll be by your side

Wherever you fall

In the dead of night

Whenever you call

And please don't fight

These hands that are

holding you

My hands are holding you

Cause I, I love you

I want you to know

That I, I love you

I'll never let you go

And I'll be by your side

Wherever you fall

In the dead of night

Whenever you call

And please don't fight

These hands that are

holding you

My hands are holding you

Upcoming Review: North of Beautiful

2009-03-01T15:05:00.000-08:00

I spent a long time writing a review for North of Beautiful. This book is so spectacular and I wanted to make sure it received a proper review. I was getting ready to post it today, when it deleted. Really annoying. So hopefully I'll have another one coming soon!

Vast See

2009-02-04T20:14:00.000-08:00

This is a picture that I was given a few years ago. It

has become special to me for many reasons. If you can't see it, the picture reads..

"The stairs led

steeply downward

into the vast

see

within me that had yet to be

discovered"

This picture also ties into another quote that I have come to love..

"The man who has everything figured out is probably a fool. College examinations notwithstanding, it takes a very smart fella' to say, 'I don't know the answer'"-Inherit The Wind

Picture by: Michele Renee

Pride & Prejudice: Facebook Edition

2009-02-02T14:33:00.000-08:00

This is pretty hilarious. I'm not sure if it's just because I'm in the middle of blocking for this play, or if it's because I've read the book so much, or because I spend SO much time on facebook.

If you have some free time, have read P&P and would like a laugh, go here.

Books, Movies, & Mexico

2009-01-24T07:49:00.000-08:00

1. I am super excited to find out that my favorite book, The Hunger Games, has a sequel coming out on September 8, 2009 called Catching Fire. That seems like such a long time to wait, but I am sure it will be worth it! Although, it seems that they are giving no information on the plot of the novel, especially after Stephenie Meyer's incident with Midnight Sun. I wonder if it's possible to get an ARC? That would be so amazing.

2. Apparently there's also another book coming out in The Luxe series, called Envy. I have been trying to get into those books for a looong time. I've read about halfway through the first one, but I haven't read Rumors yet. I just don't seem to have enough time anymore for pleasure reading *sigh*. Anyways, the new book is set to come out on January 25.

3. The Twilight dvd is coming out on March 21st! Of course, I have already pre-ordered my copy and can't wait until it gets here.

4. Pride & Prejudice rehearsals are going really well. Although, we have JUST started blocking so there's still a lot more work to go. I am actually enjoying my role as Mary Bennet. I am on stage most of the time, and I still have a decent amount of lines, but not an overwhealming amount like I had when I played Olivia in Twelfth Night. We have three teachers playing roles in the play and they have all been amazing, I can already tell that the play is going to be fantastic!

5. I found an old journal the other day, the one that I took with me when I went on a mission trip to Reynosa, Mexico in December, 2007. I am thinking I might post the journal entry's on here. It was quite a while ago, but the trip was such an experience that I would love to share. Thoughts?

P.S. I have become obsessed with Twitter. It's so much fun. It's basically like facebook statuses, but that's all it is. I know it sounds boring, and when I first heard about it I thought "wow, another thing like myspace and facebook that I dont need to get addicted too". It is so worth it though, I have a hard time trying not to update too many times in one hour. I think it would be so much fun to write a book all in twitter updates!

Snowed In!

2009-01-20T09:41:00.000-08:00

Well, it actually happened. We have about 5 inches here and it's still snowing. For NC this is like a blizzard, NO JOKE! We never get any snow. School is actually closed too, which is fun! But, I'm feeling sick and have homework so I've been inside most of the day.

I also shocked myself and watched the presidential inaguration today. Regardless of how I feel about the new president, it is a very historical moment and I wanted to be a part of it. I will continue to pray for our country and our new leader.

Well, I'm off to watch the snow!

"I no longer live, but Christ lives in me"

2009-01-18T13:09:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to find a way to put into words what I am feeling right now. The fact is, I simply can't do it. I am at a loss for words (and some of you know, that doesn't happen very often, heh) to describe how God has been working in my life this past week. I am just in awe of his ability to seize control of a situation and work everything out better than I could have possibly imagined.

This may not make a lot of sense, but here it goes:
Today is my sister's birthday. The same day that she was led to profess her faith in Christ in front of our church. The same day that she made the decision to get baptized. The same day that our friend learned forgiveness. The same day when I realized that NOTHING is impossible through God. Coincidence? I think not.

Pride & Prejudice

2009-01-08T15:50:00.000-08:00

I don't have a lot of time to write (as usual) but I just wanted to let you know what part I got. I really wanted the part of Jane Bennet (basically my dream role), but unfortunately I did not get cast as Jane. But I did get cast as Mary Bennet, and for the first time I am in cast 1 (which is a VERY big deal). For the audition I had to go and sing badly, and apparently I have a talent for that because our director loved it and that's basically the whole reason that I got the role.

I'm so excited! :)

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T15:44:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Thankfully I survived all my finals and now get to enjoy Christmas break! Unfortunately there is no snow here in North Carolina. I will post soon on the play and put up pictures. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a restful break!

Almost there!

2008-12-08T17:37:00.000-08:00

Whew, I'm tired after an extremely busy weekend, including performances of The Secret Garden (which went fantastic, by the way).

I really want to post on the play and put up TONS of pictures, but that will have to wait. I have 2 weeks left of school but that also includes 2 papers, 3 tests, multiple quizzes, and 4 finals before I am done. I am not even thinking of Christmas until after my last final.

So I just wanted to let you know that I'm still alive, just swamped with end-of-semester school stuff. Well, I better get off and go study.

Here's a few pics that I couldn't resist posting right now..

See you in 2 weeks!

I saw Twilight at midnight!

2008-11-22T17:28:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I have gone on and on enough about this movie. You are probably SO sick of reading about it. You're probably wondering, "is this girl insane?". So I'm not going to say much. Shocked? You should be. I'm not gonna give anything away. But I am going to say that I am not the most obsessed Twilight fan out there. Let's just say that the midnight showing was crazy! Anyways, to sum up my entire experience I will just say...

It was fantastic.

go see it.

Twilight: 4 more days!

2008-11-15T15:18:00.000-08:00

I would like to take this time to say that in just FOUR DAYS I will be going to see Twilight at midnight! I'm going with my sister and one of her friends. I am SO excited! Tonight we're going to a Twilight movie premier party at Borders. I'm very interested to see what they do at these kinds of things. I'm so obsessed, heh. I am going with one of my best friends, and it's fun to be obsessive with her. Although, I'm kinda afraid that we're going to walk in and be the only people that showed up. Hah, that would be SO embarrassing.

So I just wanted to remind you that Twilight is coming out this Friday (11-21-08). Can you tell I'm excited?

Also, sorry I haven't had much time to blog lately (explains why my posts have been so short). I would post some reviews, but I haven't had time to read anything. Maybe I'll post a review on The Odyssey when I'm done reading it for school.

Have a good week!

shows for The Secret Garden

2008-11-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

So, I found out that my show dates are Thursday, December 4 at 6pm and Saturday December 7 at 1pm.

Maybe you've noticed that I don't seem very excited? If so, you're right. This play has caused me to wonder about all the other acting opportunities out there. I have been so focused on getting roles at my school, but maybe it's time to branch out of my little bubble and try something new. Plus, I just don't know how much more stress I can handle from the plays at my school (Emily and Traci, you know what I am talking about).

Just a thought, who knows?

Updates

2008-11-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

Things are so crazy right now! Time is just moving too fast, I wish everything would just slooow down. Anyways, I thought I would give you some updates on what's been going on in my crazy, hectic life.

The Secret Garden is really coming along (as the performance nears on December 4). I was REALLY worried about it at first. A week ago, nobody knew their lines and our director was threatening to cancel the play (yikes!). So on Wednesday and Friday she had cast 1 run through the play, and it was basically an audition. If you didn't know your lines, then you were pretty much out of the play. Also, how well you perform determines the amount of shows you get. But, everyone did amazing! I have been dreading this performance for months, because I knew how bad it was. Now, I am so excited! Everyone did such a fantastic job, it's actually coming together. Emily Ficken is doing such a phenomenal job playing Mary, I'm so proud of her. Unfortunately, I am in cast 2, which means my "audition" is this week. I don't have a huge part, so there is really not much I can mess up. But, I'm praying that it all goes well..I don't usually do very well under intense pressure! I will let you know by Thursday how everything went/what shows I got.

I have decided that I can't do NaNoWriMo. I REALLY want to, you have no idea how much. It's just not very realistic for me right now. I have so much homework and school stuff to do, it's insane. I figure that I can't really have much of a career as an author if I flunk out of high school (not to mention the fact that I also wouldn't be able to get into college), so I really need to focus on my school stuff. I've been feeling really behind lately on my writing, I feel like I just don't have time to write anymore, and that makes me feel kind of sad. I mean, this is something I really want to pursue..sometimes I just feel like maybe it won't ever happen. But the other night I found a Bible verse that really encouraged me. It's from Hebrews 11:1 and it says," Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." I was like, wow, this completely applies to me! So no matter what ANYONE says, I know I am going to be an author, one way or another, it's going to happen. I just know that writing is what I was meant to do, I can't even explain it..I just know. I'm not exactly sure of the journey, but I am certain of the destination. But for now I am going to focus on school, whether I want to or not.

Oh, and can you believe that Twilight is only 19 days away!? I feel like screaming I am so excited! Tickets are on sale at some theaters for the midnight release. I am debating and whether to get them now, or wait. There is a theatre REALLY close to my house, but they said that they won't even know if they will have a midnight release until a week before. But, there is a theatre kinda close, but also kinda far away. It's like 15-30 min. away from my house. They have already started selling tickets for a midnight release. So, I am not sure if I should go ahead a buy those tickets or wait and see if the other theatre has them. But if I wait, then the other tickets might be sold out! Any ideas? Oh, and I got a Twilight shirt! It says "Team Edward" on the front and on the back it says "What if I'm not the hero? What if I'm the bad guy?" I love it!(Thanks Sami)

Ok, my last piece of news. And it's the most exciting (for me at least). Sarah Palin is coming to Raleigh and I am going to see her speak, today! I'm super excited, I love Sarah Palin. I'm hoping that I can actually get in, thousands of people are turned away from these kinds of things all the time. Yikes.

So now, I'm off to do homework for the day, fun? I think not.

Have a good weekend!

Cover for Along For the Ride! New Sarah Dessen book coming out in June!

2008-10-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

OHMYGOSH! I am basically hyperventilating right now! My favorite author (and basically my inspiration for everything that has to do with writing) Sarah Dessen has a new book coming out in June, called Along For the Ride. The cover was released today on her blog, eek! So, I thought I would share it on here! For more info on her new book, go here.

Back to school..

2008-10-19T19:18:00.001-07:00

My wonderful fall break ends tomorrow, which means that I have to go back to school. This also means that I won't have as much free time to read, write, get on facebook, or blog. School along with all the loads of homework I get basically take up all my time. I won't have many book reviews coming in the next few months, if any at all. I will try to update at least once a week, ESPECIALLY on all things related to Twilight!(only 32 days until the movie, eek!) I will also try to post updates on my play that is nearing in December *gasp*. It's so close! It's what, the end of October? already!

I am going to attempt at writing for NaNoWriMo in November, but I am pretty sure that I won't make it very far. But I have some good ideas, so I might just end up doing my own thing so that I can take my time, but I don't know. I'll try and post updates on how that works out.

Now, it's time for bed. Seeing as how I have to get up at 6 AM tomorrow, ugh.

The Secret Life of Bees-movie

2008-10-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

I went to see this movie with one of my best friends, Traci. It flew above and beyond all my expectations. The acting was spectacular. Dakota Fanning was stunning in her performance throughout the entire film. There was one scene that she did where Traci and I were both crying, it was just so good. She has completely grown as an actress. Which is pretty rare, considering most young actors don't carry their acting ability as they grow older. All of the actors were so perfect for their character, even the setting was perfect. The movie was almost completely in line with the novel, which I loved. I just ADORE this movie.

I want to go see it again! It's now one of my favorite movies. Go see it, but be prepared to do A LOT of crying!

The Secret Life of Bees: by Sue Monk Kidd

2008-10-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

I saw the trailer for the movie on this book, and I knew I had to read it. I heard about this book numerous times but never got around to reading it. I was missing out.

Set in South Carolina in 1964, this book tells the tale of a fourteen year old girl named Lily Owens. Her life is constantly plagued by the memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. Unloved by her father, Lily has no one except for her black "stand in mother," Rosaleen. When Rosaleen insults three of the fiercest racists in town, Lily knows that they have to escape. They find themselves in Tiburon, South Carolina, a place that Lily knows holds hidden secrets to her mothers past. They are taken in by three black beekeeping sisters who welcome Lily into their world of bees, honey, and the Black Madonna. The experience of staying with these cultured women shows Lily what love is all about. But no matter how hard she tries, Lily can't seem to escape the horrible truth about her past.

This book was simply amazing. There was some weird views toward religion that I didn't particularly agree with, but it was a cute story. The movie comes out on October 17th and I can't WAIT to see it! It looks like it's going to be a great movie, ESPECIALLY because Jennifer Hudson is playing Rosaleen and Dakota Fanning is playing Lily. Anyways, it's a good book centered around strong female power, probably the reason that I like it so much!

The Hunger Games: by Suzanne Collins

2008-10-13T14:35:00.001-07:00

This novel takes place in Panem, a Capitol surrounded by twelve districts that are all strictly ruled by the Capitol. Every year throughout these districts, each child between the ages of twelve and eighteen will be sent for the "reaping". During this process, one boy and one girl from each district will be selected to participate in the Hunger Games. These "games" are a fight to the death. But, if you win you will receive great fame and fortune. By forcing these children to kill one another, they are the Capitol's way of showing their power to control everyone.

Katniss Everdeen lives with her mother and younger sister Prim. She is the caretaker and does whatever she can to keep her family alive. She loves Prim more than anything in the world and takes all precautions to make sure that Prim is never chosen for the games. Unfortunatly, Prim's first reaping proves to be an unlucky one and it is no surprise when Katniss volunteers to take her place. Katniss doesn't have even the smallest hope of survival. But all those years of hunting and fighting for survival pay off because without even realizing it, Katniss becomes the one to beat. The catch is that the road to winning these games will force her to make choices she never thought she would have to make.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved this book. When I first heard about it I thought, "wow, a book about little kids killing each other". But it's so much more than that! I spent days constantly reading it, and lay awake many nights just thinking about it. Although I have to warn you, it's a cliffhanger, which drove me insane! I hate that, ugh. Anyways, I can't recommend it enough, it's now one of my favorite books. So, GO READ IT!

Twilight Trailer

2008-10-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

The final Twilight trailer was FANTASTIC! I can't find anything (so far) that I don't like about the way it turned out. The actors are all perfect for their character, everything about it is just perfect. It just all matches up exactly the way I pictured it in my head when I was reading it. I watched it over and over again for an HOUR! This movie has A LOT to live up too, but I don't think I could be disappointed. I am so pumped for the movie to come out! Hopefully I will be going to see it at a midnight showing. And of course, I will be wearing a Twilight shirt! I'm going to try my best not to scream, but I probably will!

Also, I am going to attempt writing in November for NaNoWriMo. Emily is participating, and so I figure I'll give it a shot. Although with school and all the crazy busyness that seems to find me, I don't think that I will make it to 50,000 words. Heh.

And, I've decided not to review Twilight. After all the posts I've had about how much I adore it, I'm pretty sure you all know how I feel about the book! Right now I'm reading The Hunger Games, and it's really interesting! So hopefully I will have a review for that coming soon.

Wow, Emily we posted on the same thing! haha. Great minds think alike!

Meeting Nicholas Sparks!

2008-10-09T16:21:00.000-07:00

Here's an amazing picture of Emily and I meeting Nicholas Sparks! Pretty sweet, huh?

New Twilight movie poster and trailer!

2008-10-07T19:36:00.000-07:00

New Poster for the Twilight movie! eek! I am so excited for this movie to come out! And also, the final trailer premiers on October 9th and can be found here. For more information on the movie and trailer, go here. I can't wait for the new trailer, and I'm counting down the days until the movie comes out! I can't help getting obsessed over this! Twilight is one of my favorite books EVER! I'm thinking of doing reviews on the Twilight books? Especially while I have so much free time during fall break. We'll see..

The Lucky One: By Nicholas Sparks

2008-10-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

U.S. Marine, Logan Thibault finds a picture while on his third tour of duty in Iraq. The picture is of a smiling woman, and somehow this picture seems to bring him luck. He carries the picture with him everywhere, and believes that it is his destiny to find this woman. Once he arrives back home in Colorado, he sets out on a journey across the country to find the woman in the picture. He ends up in Hampton, North Carolina where he finally meets the girl in the picture. Elizabeth is a single mother who finds Logan completely intriguing. He keeps his good luck charm a secret, and ends up falling in love with Elizabeth. She has many questions about him, and is always sure that he's hiding something. Despite her gut feeling that he's hiding something, she falls in love with him too. Thibault feels at home in Hampton, and is afraid that if Elizabeth were to find out the truth of why he came, it would destroy their love forever. But this secret proves to be much more dangerous than he could have ever imagined.

The Lucky One is not only centered around romance, but also adds a twist that even I didn't see coming. He reveals pieces of the story in such a way that keeps you guessing until the last page.

I absolutely adore this book. Once again, Nicholas Sparks wrote a novel that completely surprised me. I recommend it to everyone, even if you're not really into the whole romance thing. There is so much more to it than that (I don't want to give too much away). It's an easy read, but so good.

Although, I might just be saying that because I got it signed by Nicholas Sparks himself. Just kidding!

How acting found me..

2008-10-06T17:06:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already guessed..I adore acting. I'm not sure how far it will take me, or if it's even something I want to pursue for that matter, but I love it. I love being on stage and getting to transform into a different character. I think one of the reasons that I love it so much, is that for the brief few minutes that I am on stage, I get to be someone else. I can completely escape from my own world and be a part of someone else's. That's probably the same reason that I love to write stories, and to read. I love being immersed in a story that's not my own. So far I have only been involved in plays at my school, but it's so amazing. The thing is, I am very shy around people I don't know very well. Up until a few years ago, speaking in front of a large group of people terrified me. Even just speaking in front of my class would make me sick to my stomach. But now, when I'm acting or presenting at school, I go into this zone. I get completely excited to speak in front of people. It's so weird. I owe it all to the acting I've done at my school. It completely pushed me out of my comfort zone, so that I am now able to speak in front of people and look completely confident. So, my getting involved in acting does come with a story. And, while I'm at it, I'll go ahead and share my entire acting experience with you, so YOU should feel special!

Around the middle of 7th grade, the middle school was putting on a play in our gym, Peter and the Wolf, I think it was called. I thought that it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen! I saw kids my age acting in front of tons of people. Of course, I quickly shrugged off the thought that I would ever get up in front of people and do something like that. I wanted too, so badly. But I was completely afraid. Later in the week I slept over at Emily's house. I heard her mom talking to her about getting involved in the middle school drama. She said that she had talked to the director, and that it would be fine if Emily wanted to come. Before I knew what I was doing, I volunteered to go with her. So, we went, and the first thing she had us do was read a monolgue (which was basically our audition for the upcoming play). I practiced and practiced for this audition. I memorized the monolgue. But, when it came time for me to perform, I did terrible. You could barely hear me, and I'm pretty sure I hid behind the paper I was reading from. We were doing the play Macbeth, and I got the part of one of the witches. I was really upset at first, especially because Emily got a lead role. But, it ended up being a really fun part. I was really worried at first about people recognizing who I was (the witches looked kinda creepy) and so I asked our director if we could wear masks. But, in the end I toughed it out, and did a creepy witch voice in front of the whole middle school. I only had like 4 lines, but at that time, this was a huge step for me. I completely fell in love with drama.

Next year, 8th grade, I took drama as an elective. For most of the year we just learned the basics of acting, and later in the year we did a small play. Our director also taught high school drama. She offered all of the girls a chance to be extra's in their play, Little Women. So I was an extra, I think I had maybe one line. There was one girl in middle school drama who was given a small role in the high school play. She had a decent amount of lines though. I was so jealous of her. I wanted to be the best actress to be given a high school role. Well, a few weeks later, our director offered me the role of Mrs. Kirke in Little Women. I was so ecstatic. This play was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I could see myself improving as an actress. We did another middle school play later in the year, (All the Worlds a Stage, in which I played Portia) but it was not nearly as amazing.

So, freshman year. I was so excited to finally be able to audition for high school drama (no more boring middle school plays). I auditioned for Emma, and got the role of Harriet Smith (the same role that Traci, one of my best friends, received). I loved being Harriet. She was so like me, and so it was easy to be her. Finally having a lead role was amazing. That play was so much fun. Next semester I auditioned for Twelfth Night. I didn't think I would get a role in this play. I was completely surprised when I found out that I would be playing Olivia! I wanted this role so bad. But it proved to be a very challenging role for me. The director yelled at me a lot, there were many times when I really wanted to quit. I knew I wasn't very good at playing her, she was nothing like me. Very close to the performance, our director came up to me and told me that if I wasn't improving by Monday, that she would replace me. This was so hard on me. But, I decided that I was going to prove her wrong. I was going to be the best actress she had ever seen. I spent the entire weekend rehearsing my lines and trying to become Olivia. When it came time for my scene on Monday, I blew everyone away. To my satisfaction, the director was completely amazed. I finally proved to myself, and everyone else, that I could act. So far, this is my favorite role that I have played. I actually became someone who was completely opposite of myself.

And now, my sophomore year. I auditioned for The Secret Garden. I actually have a very small, but interesting role. I play Lilias, who is Archibald Craven's dead wife. I appear to him in memories throughout the play. I actually got to write a few of the scenes which is pretty cool. Although, playing this role is a bit embarrassing. I have some interesting love scenes with Archibald Craven, and everyone likes to make fun of me, UGH. But, it's a fun role to play and I'm interested to see how the play turns out. I'll post updates on rehearsals and such as the performance nears in December.

And, I am also extremely excited for next semesters play that I am auditioning for. It is my favorite book and movie. Pride and Prejudice! I can't wait!

First blog!

2008-10-04T14:29:00.001-07:00

So, yay I finally got a blog! I'm new to this, so bear with me! My amazing friend Emily is going to fix my page up for me, so we'll see how that works out ;) Umm, I don't really know what to talk about...

Ooh, I am out of school for 2 weeks (thats pretty cool? right?) & I met Nicholas Sparks yesterday which was, of course, AMAZING! I went with my friend (Emily) and we stood in line for 3 hours! But, the waiting was worth it. We didn't actually get to talk to him (there was a lot of people there) but I mean, I said hi, which was, completely dorky. And, I just kind of stared at him, but I'm sure he's used to that by now. I just couldn't help it, I was standing inches away from a famous, amazing author *sigh*. And the whole time, I can't help having some major jealous moments, I mean, I want to be the super famous author signing thousands of books! Someday, that will be me!

So, I guess that's it for now. (happy, Emily?)