Writers' Chasm

It's the last week of the year and I've been keeping a running tally of strange/hilarious things that my friends have said throughout the year. Here are some of the highlights. All names have been removed to protect the funny. "If I was white, we wouldn't be having this discussion!" "You are white!" "I am pale! I am not white!" "I'm so mad I could punch a duck." "Do you want to see a pregnant fish?" Professor: "This is a chicken and egg situation." "Now if a baby says 'gaga' can that be considered a word?" "Well, the whole theory of the velociraptors..." "Hey, do you guys want to come dance in the rain with us?" "There is a dirt road. Ergo you live in the boondocks." "I do not live in the boondocks!" "There's dirt!" ... "There's trees !" "I thought you were going to say you like the sounds you make w...

Heat Wave by Richard Castle I am obsessed with Castle. I spent three weeks watching all four seasons and when I found out that there was a real version of Castle's Heat Wave I knew that I had to order it. I couldn't stop fangirl squealing when it finally arrived a few days later. I was a little worried about how I would feel about it -- being a fan of the show -- but it's actually very well done. I couldn't stop grinning when I saw the dedication in the front. It's like holding Richard Castle's actual book. There were lines in the book that I could actually see Beckett and Castle saying, and points where I could hear the characters' voices in my head as I'm reading.  There were a couple of things that I was really hoping they remembered from the show -- the sex scene and the "Go ahead. I need the practice" line that Castle promised he would add -- and they were definitely not forgotten. It really made me feel like part of the s...

Road Trip Wednesday is a "Blog Carnival," where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic. This Week's Topic:  What was the best book you read in April? My reading list was sadly short again this month. Hopefully I'll be able to make some kind of dent in my TBR shelf this summer! The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight  by Jennifer E. Smith I know I'm a little late for the wagon on this one, but I absolutely loved it. It's a quick, sweet read that was a great escape during the final-stretch of the semester. The kisses gave me butterflies and the characters were great. The writing is great and I loved the flashbacks to the plane ride while Hadley's in England. Also, Oliver is now one of my top fictional crushes.

When I started preparing for college, it seemed like everyone seemed to have some piece of advice that they wanted to share. One of the most prevalent by far was "Do not room with your best friend from high school." I brushed the advice off at first, not planning to even attend college in the same state as my best friend, until (through a series of life-changing events) we ended up at the same school. Suddenly, their advice applied to me. At first, my best friend and I planned to room separately and then we started to think about all the unsavory types that we could end up rooming with. When choosing to room with a friend, it may seem like the devil you know is far safer than the devil you don't. So, one day, I asked my best friend if she wanted to room with me and she said yes. We requested each other on our forms and the rest is history. I've been living with her for a year. There are some days when I wish I'd gone in blind and days when I'm glad that...

Gone, Gone, Gone by Hannah Moskowitz It's a year after 9/11. Sniper shootings throughout the D.C. area have everyone on edge and trying to make sense of these random acts of violence. Meanwhile, Craig and Lio are just trying to make sense of their lives. Craig’s crushing on quiet, distant Lio, and preoccupied with what it meant when Lio kissed him...and if he’ll do it again...and if kissing Lio will help him finally get over his ex-boyfriend, Cody. Lio feels most alive when he's with Craig. He forgets about his broken family, his dead brother, and the messed up world. But being with Craig means being vulnerable...and Lio will have to decide whether love is worth the risk. Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin Everything is in ruins. A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them. So what does Araby Worth have to live for? Nights in the Debauchery Club...

Road Trip Wednesday is a "Blog Carnival," where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic. This Week's Topic: It's almost prom season, and since we love to read and write about teenagers, we want to hear your prom stories! I didn't go to my junior prom because I didn't want to go alone (though a part of me regrets that decision now). However, when senior prom rolled around I was dating my first boyfriend and I couldn't wait for the time-honored tradition of prom. When the big day rolled around, I went over to my best friend's house. All the guys were sent downstairs immediately on arrival while us girls stayed upstairs doing each others' hair and make-up and putting on our dresses. When we were ready, we made our grand entrance down the stairs to meet our dates. We sat around, ...

...of college. The end of the semester is upon us so here are five tips on how to survive the whirlwind. 1. Don't put everything off until the last minute. The last month of college is jam-packed with final projects, term papers, presentations, and studying for finals. I have a major project due every week for the next three weeks. The best thing to do is check the syllabi for all your classes and be prepared for when major projects are coming up. The earlier you can start, the better. 2. Study gradually. This one goes hand-in-hand with #1, but deals specifically with finals. Don't wait until the night before your History final to cram. Make flashcards, reread the chapters, hand-write out your notes, read over the lectures, do anything that you need to do to study starting a week or so in advance. Flashcards are particularly best done early. If you make them two weeks before the exam, this allows you to study them before going to bed every night and will help plant the informat...

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy int he airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row. A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more? This is a really quick, sweet read and I absolutely loved it. It's a heartwarming book that would be perfect to curl up while the sun streams in through the window. I fell in love with the writing from the very beginning. The scene at the airport was so cute and sweet and I lo...

Every once in awhile I come across a book or a movie that changes the way I look at the world. A book that I think everyone should read at least once in their lifetime. A movie that everyone should see. Here are some of those. Schindler's List It's a long movie but it doesn't really feel like it. I watched it for the first time this weekend and when it was over, I literally couldn't stop crying. It's a very powerful, moving film. It's about Oscar Schindler, a man who saved over a thousand Jews during the Holocaust by keeping them working in his factories. To Kill a Mockingbird by Lee Harper This was one of the few books that I was assigned to read in high school that I actually finished. Even rarer was the fact that I loved every minute of it. It's a fantastic book and one of my favorite classics. It's a story of love, innocence, racism, and life in the Southern town. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak While I don't recommend reading this book in a publi...

Road Trip Wednesday is a "Blog Carnival," where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic. This week's topic: Who has helped you on your reading/writing/publishing journey? First and foremost, I want to thank my mom for not being concerned when I spent hours shut in my room writing and revising without human contact. She's encouraged me to chase my dreams and figure out what I want out of life. She understands that writing is what I love and that I need the space to do it. I'm glad that I have someone in real life that knows that I'm a writer and will be there any time I need someone to bounce ideas off of, even if they don't like young adult fiction. It's thanks to her that many of my earliest memories have to do with writing or reading. And a special shoutout to everyone...

Tomorrow is the second anniversary of the airing of Matt Smith's first episode, The Eleventh Hour. Because I don't blog on Tuesdays, I'm doing this shout-out today. Matt Smith is my favorite Doctor and Eleventh Hour was the first episode of Doctor Who I ever watched. Happy anniversary, Eleven! It's also the anniversary of the famous Fish Fingers and Custard Scene, which I would reenact if I had a car to drive to the store. Ah well. Has anyone else tried this strange combination? And on a related note, the first preview for series seven was released recently! I CAN'T WAIT! I mean, cyborgs, the Wild West, and the return of the Daleks?! This is going to be a great one.