Happy Friday!

It’s Friday! Yay!

1. I’ve come to accept the fact that I’m not a morning person. My brain doesn’t seem to come alive until after 8:00pm for some reason, and then, like last night, it doesn’t stop until 2am. Am moderately exhausted this morning, but I did write 2,000 words on my new WIP. Yep, it’s official: I’m writing again. This time it’s an urban fantasy. (Fingers crossed.)

2. Would’ve been asleep earlier than 2am if a freak thunderstorm hadn’t come through last night. There’s nothing like laying in bed, knowing you need to fall asleep, but watching the room flash every time lightning strikes instead. I’m convinced that, when things like that happen, it’s meant for me to experience because I’ll need to write about it one day. Consider it tucked away in my arsenal.

3. Am reading an ARC of Sydney Salter’s new MG novel “Jungle Crossing,” which is due out this fall. Let me tell you, Sydney is *so* funny. She has this character’s voice down, and I spent half of the first chapters laughing out loud. (Kat is on a family vacay to Mexico, which she *doesn’t* want to be on.) I’ve read parts of it aloud to baby girl. She loves the girl with the blue streaks in her hair, and is *really* concerned about the fact that the Mexican bus they ride on doesn’t have seatbelts.

4. The countdown to Book Expo America and my New York City trip is on! 20 days to go! I’m going to print the Saturday signing schedule today and highlight my battle plan. Sarah Dessen will be there, and yes, I plan to squeal in all my fangirl glory. Also, don’t forget I’ll be signing that afternoon! Let’s hope that a) I’m not left alone at the table to watch people pass by and b) I can remember how to spell my name. I’m also looking forward to meeting my editor, a few of my housemates (Mark Fink, Bethany Hegedus), and some of the Debs. (Fingers crossed!)

5. I’m still missing a washer and dryer. I have one more good laundry day before my new ones will need to be picked up, or I will be heading back to my mom’s. New ones are preferred.

And a bonus #6: I blogged almost every day this week. Go me!

Hope you have a Fantastic Friday!

Love,

~Leigh~

A Rant

Okay, I usually don’t use my blog as a forum or podium or place to rant and force my personal opinion on the masses. I generally like to keep it personal, nearly irrelevant, and only pseudo-angsty (when necessary), but I can’t go another day without commenting on this: Did anyone else read the Megan Fox article where she’s discussing her weight?

Here’s the link: http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/access-hollywood-megan-fox.html

Here’s the passage (and quote) that bothered me: “And though Megan is just 23, the actress tried to create the body of a much older woman for her role in Diablo Cody's upcoming horror movie, ‘Jennifer's Body,’ - the body of an almost dead woman. “‘I decided I would turn myself into a zombie,’ she said of her body, which dwindled down to just 99 pounds while shooting the film that is due out in September. ‘I got super, super skinny, stayed out of the sun for four months, and got to where I was losing my eyelashes and my eyebrows.’”

Um, all I have to say about this is: What?? And here’s the link to another interview (also released this week):

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/film/article2415333.ece?OTC-RSS&ATTR=Film

Which says: “Stunning Megan admits her weight fluctuates thanks to her unhealthy lifestyle, but she makes a concerted effort to chub up before working with MICHAEL BAY. She said: ‘Mike doesn’t like really skinny actresses. He’s been traumatised by them for some reason in the past. So I always try to put on eight to ten pounds before, and I’m always the fattest I’ve ever been when making a Transformers movie.’ She added: ‘Anyway, my weight fluctuates constantly - I don’t really take good care of myself. I just sort of exist and survive.’”

Again. WHAT?

Gear up ladies, because Megan Fox is the new "chubby." And the fact that I *was* going to post a picture of her but couldn’t find one where she was fully dressed speaks volumes.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that this is exactly what’s wrong with society, and then I’m going to vomit. If getting so skinny that my eyebrows fall out is sexy, I think I’ll pass.

That is all.

Aprilynne Pike is Here!

Guess what? I have another Debs blog tour interview for you today! Celebrating the debut of her novel, Wings, is the fabulous Aprilynne Pike!

About Wings

Aprilynne Pike's Wings is the first of four books about an ordinary girl named Laurel who discovers she is a faerie sent among humans to guard the gateway to Avalon. When Laurel is thrust into the midst of a centuries-old battle between faeries and trolls, she's torn between a human and a faerie love, as well as her loyalties to both worlds.

(Me: Doesn’t this sound awesome?)

About Aprilynne Pike

Aprilynne Pike has been spinning faerie stories since she was a child with a hyper-active imagination. At the age of twenty she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found at the gym; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula. Aprilynne currently lives with her husband and three kids in Utah, and dreams of warmer climates.

On to the Interview!

Me: Without giving away too many spoilers, what is your favorite part of the novel/what was the part you had the most fun writing?

Aprilynne: It really is a total spoiler, but when you eventually read it, you will understand. I love my river scene. It was one of those scenes that I knew from the beginning, was awesome. I came out of my office after writing it and I was seriously exhausted and sweaty. That scene took a lot out of me!

Me: I love those kinds of scenes! Unfortunately, it seems like they are few and far between. What kind of writing projects are you currently working on? Or, if you aren't working on anything new, is there a different demographic/genre you wouldn't mind tackling in the future?

Aprilynne: My WINGS series is all contracted and set for every May for the next four years, so in the meantime I am working on a few stand-alone novels that I hope will be sprinkled in the middle of my series.

Me: That is incredibly busy, and yet you make it sound so effortless! “Oh yeah, I’m just writing a few books in between my four-book series. No biggie.” (lol) Finally, who is your writing hero and why?

Aprilynne: Stephen King. The story of how he got published and the sacrifices that both he and his wife made are really inspiring. I also love that he covers a variety of genres and writes everything from novels to short stories. I also love a lot of the films that have been made from his works which means he has a writing style that transcends medias. That is very cool!

Me: I agree. He’s awesome, and the hero of several Debs who’ve passed through these gates.

Readers, you can visit Aprilynne at her home on the web: http://www.aprilynnepike.com/

While you’re there, check out the video interview she did for HarperTeen: http://www.aprilynnepike.com/harperteen-interview

Drama and literature nerds unite! Aprilynne, I have a feeling we would’ve been great friends in high school.

And . . . WINGS is officially on sale. You can buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Wings-Aprilynne-Pike/dp/0061668036/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223505969&sr=8-2

Aprilynne will be chatting with Jenny Moss tomorrow at: http://jenny-moss.livejournal.com/

Thank you so much for stopping by, Aprilynne!

Randomness

Okay, so here are some random things for your Tuesday:

1. We are moved. My legs and feet are not as sore as they were, say, two days ago. Thank God for hot baths and whirlpool jets. I know you’re jealous. Don’t hate me. The guy I’m sorta married to but not allowed to talk about online says he feels like we’re house-sitting. Don’t pinch me, because I don’t want to wake up!

2. My round two revisions on my latest ms are finally done. Now I have to print it out and start round three. Would be great, except 1) at 200 pages (single spaced), I’m afraid I’m going to run out of toner and 2) I only have the paper that’s in my printer. My other reams are packed with our office stuff, and there are like 15 of those boxes. I don’t know where the paper is. I also need envelopes. Grr.

3. I’m reading Sarah MacLean’s The Season (a little more than halfway through), and let me tell you: It’s Awesome. I *heart* it. I literally had to make myself go to bed last night and not keep reading. Also, Sydney Salter’s Jungle Crossing ARC arrived yesterday. I’m excited about this one, too, because I don’t read a lot of MG novels, even though I’ve written one (I’m pathetic, I know).

4. It’s raining here right now. I’m kind of glad, because when it’s sunny outside I feel guilty for grading papers inside when I could be out enjoying the day. I will be v. productive today. (Good thing, too, because if I’m caught up with everything by Thursday, I’m taking an afternoon off to watch Twilight . . . again).

5. Congrats to Melissa Walker whose latest novel, Lovestruck Summer, releases today! I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy, because I loved her Violet series. Plus, as a fellow NC YA Writer, we’re kindred spirits. Happy Release Day Melissa!

Have a fabulous day!

~Leigh~

Moving Day!

1. I moved this weekend. It began when power to my current house shut off at 11am on Friday, and it hasn’t stopped yet. I was in the middle of washing clothes when the power was turned off, so I literally had to pull wet clothes out of the washer and throw them on the back deck, then scoop water out with a cup. I also had to fish around a pitch black bathroom that night in search of my contacts. (You have not seen dark until you’re in a room with no windows in the middle of a dark house nearing midnight. V. Scary).

In addition to cardboard boxes and packing tape, there was also a 3-foot black snake involved (shudders). More material for the books I write, I suppose.

2. It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m in my hew house, but I’m *exhausted*. The fact that I work from my couch is completely evident this weekend. The pads of my feet are killing me.

3. I have a backlog of papers to grade, so it will be a v. busy Monday and Tuesday (at least). I also have an inbox full of emails to reply to, so if you’ve emailed me in the last four or five days, don’t worry: you’re flagged, and I haven’t forgotten about you.

4. Here’s my blog tour schedule for the week:

Week of May 3-May 9

5/3 Kristin Walker http://walkwrite.livejournal.com

(What I would’ve been if not a writer)

5/4 Kimberly Derting http://kderting.livejournal.com/

(Bestselling Rockstar Author or an Acclaimed Literary Award Winner?)

5/5 Rhonda Stapleton http://rhondastapleton.blogspot.com/

(My favorite cafeteria meal in high school!)

5/6 Jennifer Brown http://jenniferbrown09.livejournal.com/

(How does Wrenn Scott eat a Reeses?)

5/7 Kristina Springer http://kspringer.livejournal.com/

(The worst thing I did in high school that I didn’t get caught for)

5/8 Jon Skovron http://jonnyskov.com

(Why I prefer pirates!)

5/9 Megan Crewe http://megancrewe.livejournal.com/

(The hardest part of writing One Wish)

5. I can’t believe it’s already May. What happened?? At the end of the month I’ll be heading to NYC for Book Expo America! I’d say that I can’t wait (which I can’t), but I’m sure it will be here before I know it!! Yay!

Back to work!

(groans)

~Leigh~

P.S. I'm not sure why my line breaks aren't showing lately, but it's getting on my nerves.