Posts for category ‘sweethearts’

June 9, 2009
with an oink oink here and an oink oink there

My doctor emailed to let me know that the CDC is no longer processing flu samples to prove swine flu unless the patient is hospitalized. Currently it is assumed that flu A is swine flu. Awesome! I feel pretty good. Back to routine, though I tire out fast and am still sleeping like a log at night, for ten hours or so. /health update

Meeaaaanwhile, some randomness:

The Sweethearts discussion continues at the Readergirlz blog. The current question has to do with parents making mistakes. Check it out, add your response.

If you are in SLC and flu-free, come out to Shannon Hale’s event on Saturday for The Actor and the Housewife. Don an apron, win a prize!

I’ve been listening repeatedly to The Eels’ new album, Hombre Lobo. Good stuff, Maynard. (By the way, does anyone know what I’m talking about when I say ‘good stuff, Maynard’? Please say yes. I feel old enough as it is.) What have you been listening to?

I am slowly, slowly working my way through Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, a novel in stories, and I don’t want it to end so I’m only allowing myself one story every couple of weeks. In between, I’m reading other stuff. How about you?

June 5, 2009
Friday Five

1. If you are in the Salt Lake area, come out to the King’s English tomorrow (Saturday), at 2 p.m., where a bunch of local SCBWI members with books out will be signing. Like Sydney Salter, Emily Wing Smith, Anne Bowen, and more! I’ll be there, too. And I (and my doctor) promise you I am not infectious. In fact, somewhat miraculously I feel nearly fully recovered. The only thing I haven’t tried yet is exercise, and I’ll be waiting until Monday for that. Anyway – tomorrow, TKE, 15th & 15th from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. There will be cookies.

2. Hustle on over to the Teen Fiction Cafe for Good News Friday, and read some good news about Story of a Girl and Once Was Lost, as well as good news from other TFCers.

3. Sweethearts/Truth month at Readergirlz continues, with a nonfiction companion recommendation of Cylin and John Busby’s The Year We Disappeared. Sounds fascinating!

4. I am so glad it’s So You Think You Can Dance season again. Man I love that show. There was some heartbreak last night, as there always is. I haven’t seen two brothers cry and say “I love you” so much since Biggest Loser 5’s Jay and Mark. (By the way, have you seen the trailer for the remake of Fame? Kherington from last season is totally in that. Check out her high kick.)

5. The one and only ARC I brought back from BEA was The Unnamed by Josh Ferris, which I read on the plane on the way home. It’s very compelling and super interesting—a good choice for a book club discussion, because there is lots to discuss (and argue about, which I think makes good book club fun). Marriage, the human body, the soul, sanity, salvation. It comes out in January. As you may recall, Ferris’s first novel, And Then We Came to the End was a National Book Award finalist in what I think of as my year. So me and Josh are practically, like, siblings. Even though I walked about 3 inches from him at BEA and didn’t realize it until it was past the correct moment to say hello without being totally awkward. Still. We’re tight. Tight!

Now go and have yourselves a great weekend, and congratulations to all you graduates! Be safe, okay? There is no rush to experience all of your adulthood in one night.

June 2, 2009
attention writers 13-18! and, first Sweethearts discussion q.

The Salt Lake County Library asked me to start a story for their teen summer reading/writing program. So I did, and now it’s online awaiting continuation! You have to be between the ages of 13 and 18 to contribute, and I think you have to be from Salt Lake County. So that kind of narrows it down. The whole scoop is here: http://www.saltlakesummerreading.com/cfml/teenStory.cfm

Pass it on!

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Yesterday I forgot to add one of the most important links of all for the Sweethearts/Readergirlz June – the Readergirlz blog. That’s where everything happens, and where the discussion questions will be posted. Today’s question is:

One of the major themes of Cam and Jenna’s friendship in Sweethearts is loyalty, even in the face of change. What do you think makes a loyal friend? Should loyalty have limits?

Head over to the blog to answer.