Friday Five

1. First off, I had a totally great experience at last weekend's OCCRWA Birthday Bash. The theme was Mardi Gras so of course I wore a mask:


A selfie I took in my hotel room. I had the 2 room suite ALL TO MYSELF. It was wonderful!



I also was able to do a booksigning with a bunch of other RWA authors including the fab Victoria Dahl!



Totally loved Victoria's speech on unlikeable women and real ones. Her speech totally resonated with me.



What I love about my local RWA? Their willingness to accept all authors regardless of what big name publisher/agent they might have. I feel welcome in this charter with my small press pubbed books.

And this was too cool:



2. Received this package from the fab Mandy of YA Books Central:



3. Son loving his history class at his student center. This year they are studying Medieval world.



This was on the Maori warriors.

Then he made a mosaic for the Byzantinne empire:



4. Finished reading RED by Alison Cherry:



My YA Books Central review: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/15972-red-by-alison-cherry

Teaser: What worked for me had to be how the author plays with stereotypes in such a way that it works. Also I loved the whole premise of having a town where Redheads rule. It's an interesting twist on discrimination against those who aren't Redhead such as Blondes. The nastiness isn't hidden much either. In this town even the adults reinforce the rule that only Redheads get ahead.

I also liked Felicity. It would have been so easy to make her vain and full of herself but she struggles with the knowledge that she's really a fraud as she'd been dying her hair since she could remember. She admits she likes the popularity that comes with being a Redhead and all that comes with it like the hot jock boyfriend. But there's times when she fears she'll be exposed for the truth. This works well in this storyline. I felt her struggles, fears, and confusion. I also like her one friend Ivy who is everything that Felicity isn't-she's not afraid to be who she is.


5. Finishing up SIX MONTHS LATER:



This one has an interesting twist on the whole forgetting everything about yourself and waking up to a compete stranger. Only it seems the town might have a part of this all. Intriguing thriller.

YA Books Central review coming this Saturday!


** Guilty Pleasure:

So son and husband are going to Disneyland for a few hours. While they're away I hope to go see either Carrie:

I remember seeing the original with my mother when it first came out. Scared the crap out of me.

Or I'll see Romeo and Juliet:



Love this tragedy!

Decisions. Decisions.

I might even pick up a salted caramel mocha frappucino with soy afterwards!



Comments

Jessie Harrell said…
so glad you had fun at your signing!
Kim Baccellia said…
It was a blast! So fun to be sharing a signing booth with best selling authors like Victoria Dahl, who's just as funny in person as she is on Twitter!

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