Ah! Violeta!

Bad news for you Aunt K (because I know you’re reading this): I just finished my second book so far this year!

(My aunt and I are in the middle of a contest to see who can read the most books this year. With grad school/now teaching, a toddler, and my own books to write, I usually average about 30-35. But I’ve been challenged, and I’m sorry to say that I have a hard time backing down from challenges. Kinda like the whole Marty McFly/Chicken thing.)

As great as it was, “The Book Thief” seemed to take forever to finish. Awesome book, I mean, Amazing, but not one to pick up if you’re in the middle of a contest and need to read fast and often.

I do, however, have Melissa Walker to thank for my amazing read this past week: “Violet on the Runway.”

So, so very good! I mean, what teen girl hasn’t wanted to be a supermodel, right? I practically *lived* for the day I’d get discovered. (Sigh) Didn’t quite happen for me, but I was able to live vicariously through Violet this week, which was super awesome.

It had everything: exciting parts, sad parts, humbling parts—every time Angela waltzed into the room I thought Meryl Streep: “Devil Wears Prada,” which made me smile and love her, even when I didn’t want to.

The thing about me and books is that I usually can’t form an opinion about them until I’m finished reading. It’s the same with movies. When the guy I’m sorta married to but not allowed to talk about online asks me how I’m liking a book, I always say the same thing: “Good so far, but ask me again when I’m finished.” I guess, for me, the ending makes everything.

This week was different. At chapter two I put Violet down and announced: “This is *such* a good book.”

I knew it that soon because: IT MADE ME LAUGH OUT LOUD!

That rarely *ever* happens. I’ll smile when I read something, or think: “that’s funny,” but some parts of this book literally Cracked me up. If I would’ve been in public, people would’ve stared at me.

So, thank you Melissa, for making the end of this cold, miserable week so much better. AND for writing a sequel: Violet by Design, which is now on my list of “books to buy” when it comes out in March. I mean, I’m kinda invested at this point. I have to see if this whole Violet/Roger thing goes anywhere, because I’m *so* crushing on him now.

(sigh) Literary Love. Yes, Roger must be added to the list. He joins the ranks of Owen Armstrong, Wes (from The Truth About Forever), Mr. Darcy, Mark Darcy, Landon Carter, Romeo, Jessie (from the Mediator series), among a host of others…

If you haven’t already, Get It! You won’t be sorry!

~Love, Leigh~

Where were you when you first fell in love with Heath Ledger?

I was in the movie theater watching “Ten Things I Hate About You.” I’m not sure if it was his hair—which was so crazy and unruly it completely worked—or if it was his smile, or that whole “bad boy” vibe, but as a senior in high school, I was so hooked.

At the time, if I was still in Jr. High and picked up Teen Bop magazine from the grocery store, I would’ve so plastered his face across my walls. He was that amazing. And what’s even better (what I discovered much later) was that he was an artist—he cared about his roles. He was picky about them—choosing smaller roles over the blockbusters that he could’ve had. He was a lot like Johnny Depp in that way.

And I hate that, right now, I have to type “was.”

I don’t know the details surrounding his death, and I’m sure it will take a few days to sort all the facts out; what I do know is that Hollywood has lost an amazing actor. It’s rare that the guy I’m not supposed to talk about online but am kinda married to agree on actors/actresses/movies/music/anything really, but we (along with everyone else) were shocked to see the headline tonight. We both thought he was great, and had a lot of potential. We differ in our perspectives though—I’m a Heath Ledger “Ten Things” fan; he’s a Heath Ledger “The Patriot” fan. I admit it: I liked him because he was swoon-worthy. That guy I’m kinda married to saw the talent (can’t really imagine him swooning over anything).

Either way, it’s awful to see him die at such a young age.

I imagine the blogosphere is full of these posts tonight. I just thought I’d add mine.

Here’s to Heath….

Okay—

So, today’s entry is purely for cathartic purposes (for me, not you—the reader), because there’s something I need to say.

WHY? Weathermen? WHY did you tell me all weekend it was going to snow? I love you, and yeah, there’s no possible way that anyone can predict the weather, because let’s face it guys, the last two years you’ve told me that we were going to have record-breaking, earth-shattering hurricanes, and not ONE showed up on land. Not ONE! In Two Years. And no, I’m not mad about that, because quite frankly, if you wanna be wrong about something, be wrong about hurricanes and tornados and torrential downpours. But please, please, please, please . . . don’t tell me there’s going to be snow, and then (at the last minute) recant on it. It’s So Not Nice.

So here’s what happened. I’m in Eastern North Carolina, where we haven’t gotten more than an inch of snow in like, five years. We see flurries, maybe once—twice in a good year. But not this weekend. This weekend was supposed to be the winter storm to end all storms. There was supposed to be 2-4 inches of snow on the ground. This crazy rain front was supposed crash into this massive cold front and . . . BAM! Winter Wonderland.

I mean, people were Freaking Out. There was no milk or bread . . . (I LOVE it when Southerners panic! But I have to wonder why they weren’t buying chocolate. That’s what I’d stock up on). Anyway, people went home early; they got off the roads. The kids were bundled up and waiting….

And this is what happened around dinnertime:

Mr. Weatherman: “Oh, well, it looks like that cold front isn’t coming in as fast as we first thought.”

Me: “No!”

Mr. Weatherman (thirty minutes later): “Oh, well, it looks like that cold front is coming in, but the rain front is starting to dissipate.”

Me: “No! No! No!”

Mr. Weatherman (an hour later): “Oh, well, it looks like the cold front is here, and the rain is still around, but expect little to no accumulation.”

Me: “NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!”

So yeah, I really like snow. I mean, I love the spring and summer and early fall. For me, anything below 75 degrees is chilly. (I know . . . you Northerners who are reading my blog are like: “What a wussy.” Yeah, that’s me. When the temp drops below 70 I’m a freakin’ Chihuahua—pathetic and shivering and whiny.) I’m sorry, it’s just that the two best things about winter are Christmas and snow, and so far in the snow department I’ve got nil. If it HAS to be cold for the next few months, I’d like to see some of the white stuff. Makes life a bit more tolerable. And no, Northerners, don’t email me trying to be all funny and say: “I’ll send you some of mine. We just got 12 inches last night! You can have it!” Because we both know that’s just, so impractical, and mean on so many different levels.

I did see flurries last night around ten or so, but when I woke up this morning, there was nothing on the ground. Wow, flurries. A massive snowstorm turned into Flurries. Oh, but my back deck had ice on it. OOOO! ICE! Big Deal.

So, that’s my rant.

Me to Weatherman: “Next time, don’t predict any snow; we’ll get a freakin’ blizzard. Don’t tell me and I’ll just wake up surprised one morning. Then I can go outside and make snowmen. And really, part of me just has to feel sorry for you, because people were so flaming you in your weather blog last night. Oh, and I’m sorry that person wrote ‘great forecast’ in it, because we both know he was being sarcastic. But it wasn’t me; I didn’t post it. I Didn’t! I Swear!”

So, no snow for me on this cold, Sunday afternoon. Truthfully, I don’t know which is worse: the lack of snow, or the fact that I was on my computer all Saturday afternoon/evening comparing weather data from three different stations. I’m *such* a nerd.

It’s still January, though. There’s hope, and there’s time. I’m holding out for my Wonderland. Holding . . . Holding . . .

(sigh)

~Love, Leigh~

Hi (Again)!

After an extended hiatus from this blog, you’ll notice that 1) I’m back 2) the look has changed and 3) that it’s no longer going to chronicle my NaNoWriMo escapade (which ended November 30th). It’s now “random musings” from me—a YA writer. That’s um, until I think of a better title (if that ever happens).

So, my plan is that this blog and my myspace blog will be updated simultaneously—same entry, of course (I’m not creative enough to come up with two separate posts—sorry). So if you already read my myspace blog—don’t worry; you aren’t missing anything by not coming here.

My website is nearing completion and will be launched soon, and this journal will be linked to it, so I’m looking forward to new visitors/readers. A lot of crazy stuff happening, including my first YA novel, One Wish, due out in May/June….

Thanks for stopping by!

~Love, Leigh~