QoW: It's a bird, it's a plane! No, wait, it's ... underpants???

Question of the Week: What book would you most (or least) like to see made into a movie?

I'll just say right now that one book I hope never gets made into a movie is Horton Hears a Who. Oh, wait. Too late. (I'm sorry, I don't care how much I love Steve Carell and Carol Burnett -- Carol Burnett! -- This thing's gonna stink.)

But one thing I think could make an awesome movie is the Captain Underpants series. My personal favorite of the bunch is Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plight of Professor Poopypants. It's got toilets, evil, geniuses, and um, underpants. Wouldn't this be the best live-action movie ever? I'd laugh my socks off!
So who would star in this sophisticated, Oscar worthy oeuvre? I am not the world's best fake movie casting person, but I'll give it a shot... Let's see. For the once-in-a-lifetime role of Captain Underpants himself, I'm thinking Kevin James maybe? The two youngsters, George and Harold, could be played by the seriously cute Jaden Smith and that kid from the recent version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory who played Mike Tevee. This leaves the title role of Professor Poopypants up for grabs. Who wouldn't want to play a part like that? It's rife with angst and drama. Who do you guys think would make a good Prof. P?

Oh, also be sure to check out this awesome Professor Poopypants Name Change-O-Chart from the Scholastic website. It's pretty much my favorite thing in the universe.

~Booger Lizardbreath (aka Lisa Graff)~

QoW: Hands off

Question of the Week: What book would you most (or least) like to see made into a movie?

I'm almost never happy when my favorite books are made into movies. Even though the movies are often good, it still somehow takes them away from me: replaces my interpretation of the story with the director's, my mental pictures of the characters with the faces of famous actors. (Sometimes, I've already cast famous people in my head. And usually the casting director has not seen fit to cast the same ones I would have, which just seems silly to me.)

Still, I usually do see movies made from books--my curiosity gets the better of me. Besides, I understand that writing and filmmaking are different arts. Sometimes it's fun to see how the moviemakers treated the same story, whether they just illustrated the book or whether they ran with it to make a whole new work of art.

There's one exception: the movie to Cynthia Voigt's Homecoming turns up on TV every now and then, and I can't bring myself to watch it. I feel like I know these characters. There are no famous actors playing the Tillermans in my head, they are just themselves, and I don't like watching people imitate them.

So, I hope Hollywood can keep their hands off of its sequel, Dicey's Song.

--Kathryne

QoW: A REAL Writer's Journey

As you may remember, a few weeks ago I posted about reading and absolutely loving the gut-wrenching memoir GRIEF GIRL by Erin Vincent. Hers is a non-fiction book about how she dealt with the untimely death of both her parents as a teenager, and what it was like to mourn their loss as she dealt with with the obvious implications of how her life had changed.

Erin's husband is both a photographer and a filmmaker and documented Erin's journey as she painfully explored her past through the writing process. And he has since put together a trailer, which I understand will become a full-length documentary sometime in 2008.

I am absolutely riveted by Erin, the story of Grief Girl, the story of how Erin found the courage and strength to write her story, and how it affected those around her. I am sure you'll be too.



-=siobhan=-

QoW: Edward on the Big Screen

Question of the Week: What book would you most (or least) like to see made into a movie?
There’s nothing I hate more than when the movie of a book has cast an actor or actress who is nothing like the character as I picture them. A few years ago I heard about a TV movie of A RING OF ENDLESS LIGHT, one of my all time favorite books, and I was excited until I saw a photo of the lead actress. I’m sure she was a lovely actress but there was no way in a million years she was going to convince me that she was Vicky Austen, so I didn’t even bother watching.

Thus it is with trepidation that I say that I’d like to see a movie made of Stephenie Meyer’s TWILIGHT books. I just read ECLIPSE and am now even more sucked into the story than ever. It was super well done because it left me satisfied with the story it told, yet at the same time longing for m0re- this is not an easy thing. But anyway, while reading it I was thinking that it would all look so gorgeous on the big screen: the dashing vampires, the magnificent wolves, the backdrop of Forks, etc, etc. If done right it could be magnificent!

Over at Stephenie Meyer’s website I leaned that the book has been optioned which wasn’t really a surprise. What was a nice surprise was that she has a great list of actors and actresses she’d like to play the roles and it was totally fun to see : http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight_movie.html (sorry I suck at linking). I’m not sure where she found some of these people but they are perfect! I don’t think I have anyone to add but I’d love to hear if anyone else does. And she doesn’t say anything about possible directors- any suggestions?

#daphne

I spell guilt A-M-A-Z-O-N

As an author you come to love and rely on independent bookstores. They're the ones who cultivate relationships with their sales reps, pour over catalogs, and (whoa!) actually READ the books they select for their stores, rather than simply running numbers through a spreadsheet or judging them by their cover art. They also reorder your book when it sells out. I owe these indies my unwavering support.

And I do support them. I have two friend-dates in the next week at some of the most venerable independents in DC - Kramer's and Politics and Prose - where I plan to order food and buy books. But last week when I realized I needed a few titles, instead of getting in the car and driving to the store or library, I hopped on Amazon.com and ordered them.

Amazon makes it so easy. I search by title or author, I read reviews, it recommends other books I might like, and then it ships them to me - for FREE! And I had a $25 coupon, and the books were all less than the cover price. So can you blame me? I'm still buying books and supporting authors, I'm just supporting the mega-store as well.

How do you reconcile loving independents and being addicted to Amazon?


*caroline hickey

QoW: Are you there Amy Heckerling? It's me, Lisa

Question of the Week: What book would you most (or least) like to see made into a movie?

Okay, so, I've given this question a lot of thought and I think I'd really like to see Judy Blume's Are you there God? It's me, Margaret made into a movie.

Picture it. If it was made now, like tomorrow, Abigail Breslin could play Margaret. And Teeny from Big Love could play one of the other friends. And maybe there'd even be a part for Dakota Fanning. Or maybe she's too old. I'm not that up to date on my tween stars, but you get the point.

Amy Heckerling could direct and write the screenplay too, with Judy Blume's guidance and support, of course.

Who else would you cast in the movie version of this classic?

*Lisa GW*

reading... my idea of a vacation!

I'm leaving tomorrow for my family cruise and, while I'm away, I plan to do some serious reading, relaxing, and tanning.

Well, maybe I don't really need all that much tanning, but I do need to catch up on my reading! So I've been working hard to get just the perfect assortment of books for my week-long excursion. Here's what I have so far:


Echo Park by Michael Connelly (Okay, I know it's not a children's or teen book, but every now and then I like to read about, um, er, adults. I know, I know, call me crazy!!!)



The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson (I've been meaning to read this forever, and since I will be going to Bermuda, I thought the play on words would be fun. Not only that, the book has a splash-proof cover -- perfect for beach reading -- and I thought that was such a hilarious idea, I had to buy it!)




The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg (I love everything by Cecil and I'm really, really looking forward to reading her first graphic novel. Heard a lot of good things about it, too.)


So, yes, I have three books, but I'm anticipating possible book-withdrawal symptoms if I read everything too fast and end up bookless. This is a great fear of mine, being trapped in the middle of an ocean somewhere with no book to read!

{{{quiver}}}

So, to be on the safe side, I think I need one more book, something to read while at the beach or on the deck. Nothing too heavy or depressing. Something fun and/or romantic.

Any ideas?

:-)
~Coe~

Advice, Please!

Okay, I have really great news. I just got a job teaching middle-school English at a private elementary school. My mission, as has been explained to me, is to help get my kids--most of whom come from families without a lot of books at home--to love reading for fun.

Can we say Dream Job?

They've already told me I get to build up the library in my classroom. They have a good start on it, with lots of my favorites: A Wrinkle in Time, L.M. Montgomery's Emily books, The Outsiders--but it's kind of heavy on the classics, and I'm looking to appeal to a wide range of readers: everything from the kid who always grabs the thickest book on the shelf to the kid who's never found a book she likes. I'm particularly in the market for graphic novels and non-fiction, and unfortunately I don't know much about either, for this age group.

So, what should I add? Especially those of you who work with middle-schoolers, what are they devouring these days? And besides Fuse #8 and Educating Esme (both on our blogroll, over on the right), where are some places I can look for info?

--Kathryne

Warning! Self-Promotion

Kelly Herold over at Big A, little a just posted a terrific review of my debut novel.

And check out this review from Charlotte's Library.

Woot woot! Thanks, Kelly and Charlotte!


*caroline hickey

Something to think about

Part of me thinks the following quote is sad and depressing, but the other part of me thinks that this quote is such a powerful way to describe the writing process. These moments, these events that only happen a certain number of times are the events that make our writing so powerful and meaningful.

We get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that's so deeply a part of your being that you can't even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four or five times more. perhaps not even that. How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless.
- Paul Bowles

What do you think?
Lisa GW

Questions of the Day

How do you balance making ends meet and being a writer? If you have a part time job, how do you manage to have health insurance? If it is full time, how do you manage juggling social life, family, and writing? What have been your biggest struggles as a writer emotionally and everyday? Also, were all your families supportive of you choosing this profession or were they concerned?

Okay, I'm gonna do my best to tackle a few of these questions.
I've been really lucky in that I've had great part time jobs that have helped me make a living. I've had amazing friends who are really supportive of my work and my dreams. For two years, I pretty much just wrote fulltime and babysat a little on the side. Then, last year, I got a part time job working at a school library. When I was writing fulltime, I got really shoddy health insurance through HIP (a health insurance company in NY)-- it was expensive and I basically never went to the doctor that whole time. Now, though, I am going to get insurance through my school job, which I am so excited about!

I was also really lucky in that my parents were (and continue to be) incredibly supportive of my choice to become a writer. They know that when I set my mind on something, I just go after it full speed ahead-- and even though I was nervous about moving up to NY and taking out all the loans for school, I knew that I had to give it a shot and see if I could do it, or else I would always regret it. It was definitely a gamble. But I have no regrets!

My biggest struggles as a writer are keeping disciplined and focused. I tend to get overwhelmed and scattered, and also caught up in the little details. It's hard to be your own boss, it's easy to get down on yourself and on the business, and sometimes I think we take for granted what an amazing privilege it is to be able to write for a living. We get to do something we love! How amazing is that? Not many people have that. So as much as we gripe and complain about how hard it is, it's also really, really great.

Jenny

Stuck in the Middle

My friend sent me this quote today, in hopes that it will help me get to the end of my novel-in-progress already!

So I'm passing it on to all of you who are also stuck somewhere in the middle...


"My favorite part of novel writing is the middle. There is the floundering at the beginning, the excitement and honeymoon of it all. There is the speed and urgency of getting to the end. But nothing beats the middle, when you are inside the book, within the world you have created, dwelling with characters who have come to life. That's the best feeling--the underwater feeling, the slow calm clarity of the story."
--Allegra Goodman, author of INTUITION.

Happy writing!
:-)
~Coe~

QoD: Keep on keeping on

Today's Question of the Day comes from an anonymous questioner, and it is a good one:

What motivates you to keep going as a writer? I'm sure all of you have experienced getting burnt out, not feeling inspired, general confusion as to where the story is going, occasional feelings of despair? What pushes you to continue with the story? And do you ever drop the story you are working on and move on to another? In addition to that, how hard is it to just finish something? I know these are a lot of questions clumped together, so feel free to answer any which one.

I'm going to answer the first part of this question, and then open up the floor to the other Longstockings.

Motivation can definitely be tough. While I have some days where I feel like a genius, and know that I am most definitely going to win the Pulitzer Prize in the near future, there are far more days when I think that my publishing house must've had some kind of collective stroke when they signed up my novel, and that at any moment they'll realize how horrible it is and cancel it. So, yeah, it can be hard to keep writing. But I do anyway, for three very important reasons:

1. I hate sucking
I'm really unhappy when a manuscript I'm working on stinks. So much of the time what keeps me going is the fear that if I got attacked by a pack of runaway hyenas, and after my death someone decided to go on my computer and read my work in progress, they'd think I was a hack (Duh! That's 'cause the book's not done yet. But the random person on my computer doesn't know that, see?). So one of the reasons I keep writing is to outrun the hyenas, and make my book brilliant before anyone realizes it was ever not brilliant. Illogical? Perhaps. But it seems to work for me.

2. I like eating
Frankly, I don't have much choice but to keep writing, because writing helps pay my bills, and I've grown accustomed to things like electricity and food. Maybe I should stop living so carelessly, who knows? But for now, in order to avoid being kicked out of the world's most expensive shoebox apartment, I have to keep a'typin'.

3. I love writing (really)
I forget this a lot of the time, but on those Pulitzer Prize feeling days, I remember. And then it's all worth it.

What about everyone else? Why do you keep writing? And is it ever okay to give up on something?

~lisa graff~

Lady Writer Fashion

I spotted this little top today and had to share with all my fellow alphabet-obsessed, writing friends.

pretty cute, right?

-=siobhan=-

A Word to the Wise

This is just a little bit of advice from me to everyone: DON'T TRY TO DO AN ENTIRE DRAFT REVISION THE WEEK AFTER YOU MOVE.

Especially if you are doing work on your new house. And you've relocated to a new area and don't even know where the nearest supermarket is so you can get food. These things do not breed creativity and sharp revision fingers.

This is my fortune cookie contribution to the world.

*caroline hickey

p.s. I just invented the term "sharp revision fingers" and I really like it. I have my speedy typing fingers with me today, but not my sharp revision fingers. I think they're off unpacking boxes somewhere, the little ingrates.

QoW: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

I am going to play this week's QOW like Daphne, and talk about the first book cover that pops into my head.

it's kind of crazy, how this cover still feels so fresh and interesting, even five years later. i think it's because there's so much at play here, in both the image and the design. the juxtaposition of this gothed-out, industrial punky girl toting her limp, worn little dolly is so powerful. i mean, i totally get her...everything about her...just from this picture. i also love how the colors play and engage in the battle of tough vs. girly, another theme from the book. it's really right on the money, and it's obvious this designer read at least some of rachel's manuscript.

awesome.


-=siobhan=-

QoW: It's a Beauty

Question of the Week: What is the best cover you’ve seen?

I’m going with the first one that popped into my head when we came up with this question: the cover for Libba Bray’s A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY. I still remember the first time I saw it in a bookstore— I seriously stopped in my tracks so I could get a closer look. Which of course lead to me buying it and that's about the best compliment a cover can get!

I am normally not a fan of partial-girl covers but we do see her face here and in this case seeing her back in the corset tells you all kinds of things about the book. It’s such a simple cover, yet it speaks volumes. And it’s gorgeous- the colors are luscious, the shadows are evocative, the expression on her face gives you a hint of what she’s feeling, making you want to know more. A serious two thumbs up to whoever designed this cover!

Anyone else have a favorite?

#daphne

Why Writing is Like Golf

I love writing and golf, and yesterday I did both. I sat down in the morning and worked awhile on my revisions for ISABELLE'S BOYFRIEND, then my husband suggested we go hit golf balls because it was so nice out. While we were at the driving range, I had an epiphany about how similar writing and golf are.

Here's why:

1.Getting it right once, isn't getting it right every time. You can hit a ball perfectly and feel SO good about yourself, then the next ball you hit is terrible. Sound familiar anyone? Even after writing a great sentence or a great scene or a great book, you're always starting from scratch on the next one, and you have to adjust your grip and your stance each and every time.

2.Some days you don't have the magic. You can warm up really well, and be super excited to play a round, and then go out and play like crap, usually because you're overthinking your game and can't get out of your own way. With writing, you can have days where it's quiet, you have plenty of time to write, you have a specific assignment for yourself, but nothing comes. I'm not talking about writer's block, but that horrible no-matter-what-you-try-nothing-comes-out-right kind of day.

3.The feeling of ecstasy when you do get it right. Whether it's an amazing shot with your driver or the perfect button to end a scene, when you hit it just right, there is no better feeling.

4.You need gear. In my case, I need a visor, sunscreen, glove and golf shoes for golf, and my laptop, post-it pen, highlighter, and chai latte for writing.

5. It takes grit to get to the end. Whether it's 18 holes on a hot, blistering day or your fifth rewrite of a 50K-word book, it's HARD to keep yourself playing/writing at the same level all the way to the end.

6. Tiger Woods. This is a big confession on my part, but I adore watching Tiger Woods play golf. (He won the PGA Championship for the fourth time yesterday!) One of the reasons I love watching him is because when he's up against the wall, he gets this look of absolute steely determination on his face that he is going to FOCUS and GET IT DONE no matter what. And sometimes when I've hit a wall in my writing, I picture Tiger's face, and that unbelieveable level of concentration he has, and I force myself to GET IT DONE.


I know some of you are probably frightened by my love of Tiger and golf now, but really, it's very similar to writing. I swear. :)

*caroline hickey

Writing Quote of the Day

If you are writing without zest, without gusto, without love, without fun, you are only half a writer. ---Ray Bradbury

Lisa GW

It's All About Kylie!

One of the highlights of my reading life this summer has been THE STRAIGHT ROAD TO KYLIE by Nico Medina. I have to say, this novel is so freakin’ hilarious, if you don’t laugh out loud on just about every page, there’s something really wrong with you!


Okay, let me tell you a little about it.

Seventeen-year-old Jonathan Parish is openly gay and proud of it. He has three best friends and he’s looking for his first true love! And everything is going great until he gets drunk one night and – gulp – gets “intimate” with – double gulp – a girl!

This sets into motion a chain of events, including his being pursued by the richest girl in school who tempts him with the chance to become ultra-popular and ultra-pampered, a girl so rich she can even promise him an all-expenses-paid trip to London to see his idol – none other than the one and only Kylie Minogue! Now Jonathan knows he’s gay, but he can hear Kylie a-callin'. And if all he has to do is go out with a girl for a few months… hey, it’s a small price to pay!

Of course this decision leads to lots of confusion and heartache (enter a cute new boy!) as well as problems with his friends (who have a hard time adjusting to this “straight” Jonathan.) This is a character on a journey to discover who he is and what he values. And, oh yeah, he’s on a journey to see Kylie, too!!!

THE STRAIGHT ROAD TO KYLIE is an all-out fun read! This is the first book I've read in a long time that I can’t wait to re-read. The writing is that good. I even love the chapter titles, which are all named after Kylie Minogue songs. (But to be honest, I didn't even know Kylie had so many songs!)

This is a clever, funny book for teens and adults. If you're like me, you will fall in love with Jonathan. And you will be waiting for more from Nico Medina!

~Coe~

QoW: Why'd I hate that girl again?

Question of the Week: Who is the best/worst villain in a kid/teen book?

When I first started thinking about this question, the character who immediately popped into my head was Cokie Mason, the arch nemisis of the my favorite babysitting gals in the BSC. All growing up, I really hated Cokie Mason. I mean, she was obnoxious, right? And her name was Cokie, for crying out loud. But now, the more I think about it, I can't really recall much that she actually did to antagonize the club members. I mean, sure, she did try to go after Mary Anne's man in Mary Anne Misses Logan. And I think she may have sent Kristy some scary letters back in Kristy's Secret Admirer (although to tell the truth I'm sort of fuzzy about that). And I do remember that she snagged the part Dawn wanted in the school production of Peter Pan. But, seriously, how did this whole rivalry start? I can't even remember. Surely the BSC girls must have been at least partly to blame . . . Frankly, I'm starting to feel kind of bad about haboring so much bad Cokie energy for all these years, especially since I can't remember what made me hate her in the first place.

Anyone remember what made Cokie so awful??? (Jenny Han, you remember details -- help a girl out!)

~lisa graff~

QoW: IT really is out to get you

Question of the Week: Who is the best/worst villain in a kid/teen book?

IT is good for you. IT makes everyone equal. IT will take care of you. IT will give you everything you need. IT will keep you from ever having to think for yourself, and isn't that what you want? Thinking for yourself is hard, and can only get you into trouble.

IT is a disembodied brain that sits as dictator of the planet Camazotz, in Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. IT is seductive: Camazotz is a land without war or want. Everyone has what they need. No one ever gets sick--they are simply "put to sleep" rather than made to endure the misery of a cold. "There has been no trouble of any kind for centuries," says a citizen of Camazotz. "On this planet everything is in perfect order because everyone has learned to relax, to give in, to submit," says Charles Wallace Murry, a child in thrall to IT.

"IT sometimes calls ITself the Happiest Sadist."

That is why IT is my vote for Best Villain in a children's Book. IT is our best instincts, gone completely wrong: IT comes from our desire to stay safe, our reluctance to see innocent people suffer. IT has solved all the problems of Camazotz, after all. but in doing so, it has removed reduced the people of Camazotz to their lowest common denominator. IT has removed any need for humanity. "Camazotz is one mind. It's IT. And that's why everyone's so happy and efficient."

IT is a constant warning, as relevant today as 45 years ago. IT makes sense--if not in the form of a hive mind, then in the form of a police state or unlimited executive privilege. How many times in our lifetimes have we heard, "these measures are for your own good, to keep you safe" and "why do you care if the government's reading your e-mail, unless you have something to hide?" and "I don't care about the details, all that matters is they broke the law." IT knows what's best for you, and IT is hard to argue with.

IT must be constantly resisted.

--Kathryne

QoW: Truly Scary

Question of the Week: Who is the best/worst villain in a kid/teen book?

There are a lot of really good villains in the world of kid lit so it’s hard to pick just one. I enjoy a truly monstrous, evil villain, like Voldemort, but I think my vote for best-as-in-most-awful villain goes to none other than simple, human Wendy from Judy Blume’s classic, BLUBBER.

Wendy was the creature I most feared in junior high and high school. She was that girl who had no fear and thus could hone in on everyone else’s. She could ferret out weakness and exploit it. Like any good villain, she knew how to pick a victim. Linda didn’t have any real fight in her so Wendy’s blows hurt. And once Wendy saw that, she kept at it, seeing how far she could go.

A lot of kids tease each other, but it’s the Wendy type that you have to fear. They are about power and seeing how much they can wield over another person. The stuff Wendy did to Linda wasn’t the kind of stuff that Linda was just going to shake off after things settled. Wendy hit bone with her blows and that leaves scars. Tangling with a villain like Wendy changes a person.

Judy Blume makes her regular, normal, the kind of girl we all knew in school. And that is what makes her so terrifying and earns her my vote as best-as-in-most-awful villain out there.

Who gets your vote?

#daphne

2nd Writing Quote of the Day

"Everything stinks until it's finished."

~Dr. Seuss

Here, here, Doctor! Here, here.

Writing Quote of the Day

Correction does much, but encouragement does more.

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

An Office of My Own

I need help, readers!

My husband and I have moved into our new house in Washington, DC (yay!) and one of the best things about the house is the third floor. The house is an old brick colonial, and it has an amazing finished third floor with a birdhouse ceiling, hardwood floors, air conditioning, and lots of sunny windows. The windows look out over our neighbors' houses and lawns, which will be great for daydreaming and, well, spying.


This room is going to be my writing office, and I need suggestions for how to set it up!! So tell me, if you were to build your dream office, what would be in it? What would it look like?




*caroline hickey

I'll marry you, Snape-- greasy hair and all!

So JKR did a livechat through Bloomsbury and answered a ton of questions. Because I love you all, I have cherry picked a few of my favorites to share.

Twinkletoes: Why did you feel that Hedwig's death was necessary?
J.K.R: The loss of Hedwig represented a loss of innocence and security. She has been almost like a cuddly toy to Harry at times. Voldemort killing her marked the end of childhood. I’m sorry… I know that death upset a LOT of people!

Laura Trego: Was the absence of Snape's portrait in the headmaster's office in the last scene innocent or deliberate?
J.K.R: It was deliberate. Snape had effectively abandoned his post before dying, so he had not merited inclusion in these august circles. However, I like to think that Harry would be instrumental in ensuring that Snape’s portrait would appear there in due course.

Su: How did Neville get the Gryffindor sword, is there a link to the hat?
J.K.R: Yes, there is very definitely a link to the hat! Neville, most worthy Gryffindor, asked for help just as Harry did in the Chamber of secrets, and Gryffindor’s sword was transported into Gryffindor’s old hat — the Sorting Hat was Gryffindor’s initially, as you know. Griphook was wrong — Gryffindor did not ‘steal’ the sword, not unless you are a goblin fanatic and believe that all goblin-made objects really belong to the maker.

Tess: What muggle song do you imagine would be played at Dumbledore's funeral?
J.K.R: Surely ‘I did it my way’ by Frank Sinatra.

and THE BEST FOR LAST: (in my opinion anyway)

Hannah: Why was Snape so badly groomed?
J.K.R: Hmm. Good question. Poor eyesight? Did he look in the mirror and believe he was gorgeous as he was? I think it more likely that he valued other qualities in himself!

xoxo, Ms. Jenny Snape

Meg Cabot fans...

...listen up.

(And I mean that literally!)

Meg Cabot is this week's guest on the Barnes and Noble's Meet the Writers podcast. She discusses growing up poor in a small town, how she originally thought THE PRINCESS DIARIES was going to be an adult novel (yes, there had been lots of "swear words" before she edited it!), and about how she's able to be sooo prolific!

Although the majority of the B&N podcasts feature those unfortunate people who write for adults (what's up with these people, anyway???), recently they have interviewed some other children/teen writers, such as Brian Selznick and Ann Brashares.

If you don't already subscribe to Meet the Writers, click here to have them automatically downloaded to your iTunes or other podcast player. Or you can click here to pick and choose the podcasts you want to hear à la carte.

I really like listening to these podcasts; hearing these authors talk about their novels and their writing process is very inspirational. Not only that, but Meet the Writers is free!

Check it out!
:-)


~Coe~