Much love to Kepler's and Angela

Last night I went to see John Green promote his newest novel, Paper Towns at Kepler's (my favorite independent books store). I love going there for many reasons, but maily to visit with book store maven Angela.

Angela is always happy to see Tricia and I, and I am genuinely happy to see her in turn. Her book recommendations are fantastically spot on and she is marvelously witty and warm. Did I also mention that she is generous beyond measure? Last night while picking up my contest prize, an ARC of The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (she got me a brand new copy, never read) MUAH!!. Angela went around looking for more ARC's to give to my friend Tricia so that she would not feel left out. By the time we left Tricia had 4 ARC's and a big happy grin on her face. It made up for the fact that we were very late for the book event, not even having to wait in line for an hour to see John Green put a damper on our mood.

So far this book is AMAZING!!! I love it. Unfortunately the book is not due for release until March 2009, but you can read an excerpt and put it on your TBR pile. Many of my favorite authors (Melissa Marr, Cassandra Clare, Scott Westerfeld) have fantastic blurbs about this book and it makes me all that more excited to be reading it. I will have a review to soon follow. :)

I would not have known about this book if not for Angela, so I am sending her some blog love and putting a shout out to the Teen Blog that she particpates in for Keplers. Please visit your independent book stores and participate in any event that you can, it makes a difference and it is very important to them. Because once these independents are gone....they are gone for good and that is a true shame.

Thank you Angela, for expanding my reading library, it is always much appreciated.

John Green at Kepler's

John GreenPaper Towns
Wednesday October 29, 2008 7:00 p.m.
Come find out what all the buzz is about!
As a recipient of the Michael L. Printz Award for Looking for Alaska John Green has established himself as a premier author who writes intelligent literature for teens.

Paper Towns is no exception to his excellent literary style which combines laugh-out-loud humor with poignant life observations. After the quirky and compelling love of his life disappears abruptly, Quentin embarks on a detective-style mission to find her by following a set of clues that was left only for him. Sound intriguing? With John Green at the helm it can only get better.

UPDATE: Musical guest, Abby Simons will be performing with John Green! Abby can be found online at http://www.youtube.com/user/songsfromahatEvery Sunday, Abby writes a song based on a song title she picks from a hat.

SAVE PUSHING DAISIES!!!! Don't let this great show slip away

This is serious business, folks. The ratings for PUSHING DAISIES have not been where they need to be for the network to sustain the show. It’s really up to us, the fans, to save the show. Petitions and fan gestures are great and I’m certainly not knocking them, but the network is going to respond to more eyeballs in front of the TV which translates into new ad revenue.
If you love PUSHING DAISIES then please take 5 minutes out of your day to visit a message board, forum, community, Facebook, etc - any site that allows you to promote tonight’s episode of PUSHING DAISIES. Reach out to your favorite TV bloggers and ask them to promote tonight’s episode. Tell others of your passion for the show and challenge them to just give it a chance. If you need banners or artwork, just ask and I’ll give them to you.
Please feel free to use the comments to share your ideas for promoting the show with other ThePieMaker.com readers.
We need action people!! Let’s save the show!!

Episode Summary: David Arquette Guest Stars as Randy Mann, Debra Mooney as Emerson’s Mom, Calista Cod “Frescorts” - When the most popular escort at a rent-a-friend agency turns up dead, the team investigates who killed him, including likely suspect Randy Mann (guest star David Arquette), the guy’s antisocial, taxidermy-loving roommate. Meanwhile, Emerson’s famed private investigator mom, Calista Cod (guest star Debra Mooney), pays an unexpected visit, on “Pushing Daisies,” WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on ABC

Make sure ABC knows you are watching. Leave comments about tonight’s episode and in support of the show. The comments are open now!

Yeah...I am a bit Twilight obsessed

OK....so how obsessed do you think I am? Just let me alone with my photoshop and some images and I go craaaaaaaazy. These have been my signatures and avatars that I have made...yup, I need help.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I am not one for writing reviews, because I think I am horrible at them. I cannot seem to properly express how I feel about a book . I am afraid that I am doing a terrible injustice when I try to channel my emotions and put them into words.

Yet, I will try this time and see how things go. I am doing this because I think that this book is amazing and even though it has been weeks since I finished it...I am still thinking about it. Because of that fact I think that it merits some words of praise on my behalf. So here goes.

I believe that this book should have a disclaimer: "Warning: This book is not for the weak of heart."

The premise for this book is based on a dystopian society set in the lands that were once the United States. The author cleverly avoids the questions of how and why things have changed, and one does not ponder this fact because this story engages you from the very first page. It pulls you in and makes you gasp for breath, it makes you cry and it really makes you think. How far would you really go to survive?

16-year-old Katniss lives in District 12 of Panem and volunteers to represent her district in place of her younger sister, in the Hunger Games, a televised reality show where two representatives from the 12 districts, ages 12-18, fight to the death. These games were the surrender terms that were set by capitol when the districts were defeated after waging a war on them. BRUTAL!

For being targeted at a YA audience, this book is surprisingly brutal, but in a good way. There is violence, murder, betrayal, and everything else inherent in a gladiatorial fight to the death. That said, "The Hunger Games" was absolutely riveting. Collins does not pull any punches in saving beloved characters from horror and pain, and she also occasionally pulls the rug out from under your feet. Plus, there is a twisting romance that pulls your heart in different directions. In true series preparation the ending ends on a cliffhanger, making me yearn for book number two, and you know this will lead to something big for Katniss does something that would never go unpunished in her world. There will definitely be repercussions...

This book is just amazing, plain and simple. Read it.

Watch Pushing Daisies Tonight

Hey!!! It's Wednesday and Pushing Daisies is on tonight. Today's episode is called Bad Habits.

Here is a tasty summary of tonight's episode: “Bad Habits”- Chuck, Emerson and Ned go undercover as a Catholic nun and priests and pass themselves off as investigators from the Vatican to help Olive prove that her best pal at the nunnery (Mo Collins as Sister Larue) didn’t kill herself, but was actually murdered, on “Pushing Daisies,” WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on ABC.

If you can't watch it "live" then please record it and watch it later. You will not be disappointed.

The Sagittary by T.M. Sulsona

My dear friend Terri has written a book that I have had the pleasure of reading a few chapters over the past year, and it has left me salivating for more. She has an amazing talent for creating a world of characters that you cannot help but want to keep reading about. Once you begin on Tessa's story you are sucked in and then you meet Darien and then you are enraptured.

In preparation for her book release and also to have a save haven for those that like to have fun she has created a website THE KEEP. It has been so much fun there, it is like we have our family of KEEPERS and I adore them all. I admit that I have been amiss lately due to personal issues, but I plan on being back on full time and with my friends, promoting our Mistress of the Keep.

Here is a description to wet your appetite:

Tessa Chiron's world is turned upside down when she receives a plain brown package in the mail containing a golden necklace and an old journal. She is called upon to save a race of mythical beings--Centaurs--from becoming extinct. Darien, the Stallion and leader of the Centaurs, enters Tessa's dreams and begins to seduce and entice her to his world. Tessa arrives in a world where the sexual pleasuring of a woman is a part of daily life...and she learns that there is more to what meets the eye in the reason for her being brought through.

Now I bet you cannot wait to get this book, so I will make it easy for you. You can go to AMAZON (click on the link) or click on the picture of the book. Also you can go to Amazon.co.uk. and www.abebooks.com and purchase THE SAGITTARY there. Please support this amazing author and good friend of mine. You will not be disappointed.

BLOG LOVE

I've been awarded the I Love Your Blog Award by my dear friend Christine. I love to visit her blog for I find the best book suggestions and her reviews just blow me away. She is very expressive and passionate about them and I am always aspiring to make a review one quarter as good as hers. I also adore hearing about her adventures for it makes me feel closer, even though I am so very far away.

I met Christine on the JR Ward boards almost 2 years ago and we became instant friends. We realized that we had many things in common (YEAH!! TEAM JACOB) and our love of books both adult and young adult. I had the pleasure of meeting her and her beautiful family last year and my only regret is that we do not live closer to each other. She is amazingly sweet and brilliantly funny, months may go by between calls and yet I can give her a call it is like we just talked the day before.

I had never looked at blog before and then Christine posted a link to her blog one day and a whole new world opened up to me. I found this whole blogging world fascinating and I have to thank and credit her for getting me started on my own blog. I am glad that she likes it and hope that others enjoy it also. It is my spin on things in life, sometimes silly and a bit Twilight/Henry Cavill/Book obsessed...but those are the things that make me happy :)

The rules for this award are that you need to:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!

These are my nominations:

1) The Movie Maven My friend Melanie who has a great love and passion for movies. If I ever want to know anything that is in the media, then this is the place I automatically go to. She has amazing movie reviews and is always on top of what is going on with films and such. I also love her own videos that she makes, she is just so talented. I can't even post a mini movie that I have on my phone.

2) Confessions of a Geek Another dear and long lost sister friend has made it back into my life via a blog. We both shared a crazy experience years ago and from that moment on we were like two peas in a pod. She is soo very funny and when we talk, I am always left in tears from crying so darn much. I wish that she lived closer for we are two sisters from another mister. I am glad to have reconnected with her and visiting her blog and seeing how she looks at life always puts a smile on my face.

3)The Art of Nothing An amazing blog from a good friend that is visually beautiful while posting some key notes of introspective thoughts. When she travels she has this amazing food diary that leaves my mouth watering...YUM!! Then her various pictures of her travels always leave me yearning to go to those beautiful places myself. She has been my travel partner on a view trips and we always have so much fun together. I miss her and her blog is a way for me to keep in touch. MUAH!!

4)The Book Bind This blog belongs to my favorite independent book store in the whole bay area of California. They have an amazing Young Adult staff that are so very sweet and helpful. I have been to several author events , beginning with the beloved Melissa Marr and the most recent being Neil Gaiman. This particular blog is for Teen readers, but I find that as of late that is what I enjoy reading the most. They have amazing book suggestions and reviews and their author interviews are very well done. Here is shout out to Angela for being such a sweetheart and every time I see her she seems genuinely happy to see me.

5)Ornamental Narrative Jewelry by Nina Bagley. If you looking for something truly unique and breathtaking images of life and art then, this is the place for you. I am such a lurker, for I am in such awe of her sumptuous works of art. Another friend of mine had her posted on her blog and one day I went to go and check it out and I have been a fan ever since. She makes me appreciate the beauty that comes with everyday life, the budding fragrant roses, the peaceful blue sky, the rain on my face...all things that are almost painful in their beauty. Please go to her site and look around, you will not be disappointed.

6)The happily ever after from my friend Christine. I am not sure if your supposed to nominate the one that nominated you, but her blog is one of my favorite ones. It would not be right for me to not mention her. I enjoy going to her blog to read about her book reviews, recommendations and daily adventures. We have alot in common in regards to books and I am glad that I have someone to chat about my books with. Muah!!

Ohh..i got to get back to work..but more is to come

New Twilight Trailer

OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!!...no words are enough so...
Twilight

THUD!!!

Pushing Daisies Tonight

Hey!!! It's hump day...so...it means that pushing daisies is on tonight. Don't make the pie maker unhappy by not stopping by. Come and join Ned tonight at 8pm on ABC. I hope to see ya there!!!

Ok...it tuesday so I gotta drool!!

Ok, nearly everyone knows that I think that Henry Cavill is amazingly hot. Why??? Take a look at this picture and how could you not want to throw your panties at him. THUD!! Just a little eye candy to make your day.

My New Baby

I spent fourteen years with my dear corolla. My wintergreen sidekick to so many of my adventures. The Robin to my Batman, the yin to my yan, the cheech to my chong...you know what I mean. My homey....I will miss you and hope your new owner will take care of you as I did.

It was time, yes it was time to get another baby and although I will miss my little green martian I am just giddy with my new sleek silver beauty.

My dear fairy that watches over me while I drive.

I have been at a loss in trying to find another name of this new silver wonder. I have asked many and have not found anything yet that appeals to me. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Neil Gaiman and Chapter 5 The Dance Macabre

Neil Gaiman was in Palo Alto last night for his book tour of the The Graveyard Book. This book tour is unique for he is reading a chapter from the book at each stop on his tour and he is having it video taped. Keplers book store did an amazing job of setting up the stage. They placed a comfy chair and end table filled with water, a beautiful lamp and a black crow. They also placed mock headstones of the books characters surrounding his chair. This is video from last night.

If you go onto his website you can get the entire book on video, now how awesome is that? His voice is so soothing and he does all the voices. I highly recommend watching it.

These are some of the pictures I took that night, unfortunately I did not take many pictures because it was too dark and no flash could be used.

Give me an "H"

I saw this post on Christine's, and wanted to play along. Here are the rules:
1. Comment on this blog and ask for a letter.
2. I will give you one.
3. Think of 5 fictional characters whose name begins with that letter, and post their names and your comments on that character on your blog.

Christine assigned me the letter 'H.'

1. Harry Potter, the boy who changed the way that society looks at Young Adult literature. In 2000 the great demand for this series of books caused the New York Times to create a separate best seller list just for children's literature. Adults and children alike adored these books and the release of the last few novels incited record breaking sales, midnight release parties, look-a-like contests and...oh my!...people to enjoy reading a brilliant story.

While I went thru my cancer ordeal I had time on my hands and one day went to the book store and picked up the first 3 books in the series. My life was instantly changed, I no longer was in a world that dealt with Dr. appointments, chemo and pain, for it became transformed into an world of adventure filled with wizards, headless nick and you-know-who. My heart will always have a soft spot for Harry, for he gave something back to me, something that I lost when i grew up. The ability to dream of adventures, of far way places...that I could do anything and be anyone while in the grips of an amazing book. Thank you, Harry Potter. MUAH!!!

2. Han Solo(Harrison Ford), I adored him. He was one of my first major crushes when I was younger. He dressed totally sexy cool and he had hairy sidekick, Chewbacca. He was an important member of the rebel alliance in the "Star Wars" trilogy. He helps luke rescue Leia...and falls in love with her. They acted like that could not stand each other, but we all knew the truth. At one point he is frozen in Carbonite but not before Leia confesses her love for Han who replies with "I know." I so wished that I was Princess Leia, not for the cool gold bikini she gets to wear with those cinnamon roll braids, but because she had Han Solo.

3. Hubbell Gardner, in The Way We Were. I loved his character for he was beauty and ugliness all wrapped up in the same package. I still cry every time I see it. A romantic love story, spanning over many years, deals with two people that were polar opposites, star crossed lovers as one would say. Hubbell(Robert Redford)a beautiful and laid back, talented writer and Katie(Barbra Streisand)a homely, akward yet passionate socialist. His beauty and talent are what draws Katie to him, but he squanders it, basically happy at taking the easy way out of life, never having the drive and passion that Katie had. These differences bring them together and eventually tear them apart. At the end of the movie the meet again and he realizes that he was the best when he was with her. No one would ever believe in him or see as much promise in him as she once did. All that Hubbell and Katie can ever share is a poignant memory of the way they were......Memories, like the corners of my mind, misty water colored memoriesssss....of the way we were.

4. Hal Larson aka Shallow Hal(Jack Black), this character was one of my favs. Yes, he was a major dick. He picked women apart for every single little thing, he was horrible...he was shallow. He meets Tony Robbins while stuck in an elevator and his life changes for...well the better. He now can see people for what they truly are and not for the packaged body that they are in. Yes, he does snap out of his rose colored glasses but he is not the same guy as he used to be. He realizes that beauty is not for what the person looks like, but for who they truly are.

5. Hiro Nakamura(Maki Oki) of Heroes. He is cheerfully optimistic and can travel in time. He believes that what one does can affect the future, and tries to amend things buy going forward or back in time. He is by far my favorite character on Heroes and I look forward to all of his efforts. His child like manner and believe in all things either being good or bad are endearing, but can be his downfall if he does not accept that there is alot of gray when it comes to human nature.

Neil Gaiman and The Graveyard Book

This coming weekend is full of many events around the bay area and I was debating on where and what to do. Of course it does look like I have forgotten THE ONLY PENINSULA APPEARANCE by all round favorite author NEIL GAIMAN! Now how could I have forgotten him..I do not know, but I must say that I really enjoy his books. Keplers, my favorite independent bookstore is having an event that he will attend this Saturday and I will surely be there. I have begun listening to his new novel The Graveyard Book and am thoroughly entranced. I recommend this small jewel of a book to anyone who wants to read a cleverly written story. This story is about a boy who becomes sheltered by the spirits of the graveyard that he must now call home and never leave or face certain death...Join Nobody and this wonderful cast of characters that are sure to become and instant classic story

The boundaries are always there between the graveyard and the world beyond, between life and death, and the crossing of them.-- Neil Gaiman

Hear this tragic tale: a sleeping family, a talented murderer, and an adventurous toddler -- orphaned, but not assassinated. Small and alone, by accident and luck he escapes the scene of the crime and climbs a grassy hill to safety. At the top of the hill the boy finds a fence, and on the other side, a dark, quiet place.

And what is to become of him? That alone should be enough to have you running to get your copy.

Pushing My Daisies

I have waited over 9 months....9 MONTHS!!!! for a new episode of pushing daisies and today my waiting is finally over. This show puts a smile on my face and makes me so genuinely happy. Anyone that has not seen this cute and quirky show has to just sit down and enjoy this amazing show. Watch one, two or even more shows and you will know what I am talking about. I bet you just can't watch only one show. LOL!! so join Ned, Chuck , Emerson, Olive, Lily and Vivian this evening at the Piehole. I hope to see you there!!!

Season 2 video opener....Ahhhh....I cannot wait