Fortnight of Fright: A “Must” List for October by Morgan of Gone With the Words

October 19, 2015 by Alyssa

Hello my dears!! Welcome to the first day of Fortnight of Fright!! Today I am lucky enough to have Morgan from Gone With the Words on the blog and she is chatting all about the awesomeness of Autumn, October, and Halloween!! As you guys know these are my favorite things too, so I can’t wait to hear what Morgan has to say! Take it away, girl!

My October MUST List

I am definitely a fall kind of girl. As much as I love summer (the beach! my birthday! bonfires and hot dogs!), fall has always been my favorite. I love how cozy it is, the rich colors, the cool weather (in theory. Oy.), and most of all Halloween! I’m not big on gore or being truly scared but I love all the cute/creepy aspects of the holiday. And the candy. Here is my must list for the month of October, in no particular order.

mini pumpkins: one of the first things I look for when October hits! They are so cute and I love putting them around my house and on my desk at work. I incorporated gold pumpkins into my October beach wedding decor too.

apple orchards/pumpkin patch: I have yet to find a good orchard close to me which is sad because I want to go apple picking!!! Yeah yeah, basic white girl, whatever. I LOVE APPLES. And it’s soooo fall. Plus fresh apple cider, hot or cold, is basically the best thing ever. Also apple pie. And apple cider donuts. So if you can find an orchard or farm or pumpkin patch near you, you should go!

colored leaves: I grew up in a really leafy, green part of New Jersey which meant that every fall it burst into a riot of beautiful fall colors. Luckily where I live now in California has a surprising amount of fall, which makes me happy! I love watching the trees turn red and gold and orange. I also spend way too much time looking at pictures of leaves and pumpkins and cups of cocoa and sweaters on tumblr. So there’s a way to get your fill whether you live somewhere with seasons or not.

football and tv: I’ve been waiting all day for Sunday night! And football season in general, I loooove football! This year I’m in a fantasy football league with 11 other bloggers so it’s been even more fun. And if you’re not a sports fan, there’s always new episodes of your favorite tv shows to look forward to! I’m behind on almost everything but back in the day I used to count down to the season premieres of my faves. Especially CW faves. I’ve heard Sleepy Hollow is getting better again so I want to hop back on that train- what could be more perfect for Halloween?!

Continue reading →

Bard on the Blogs: Guest Post by Amy from Tripping Over Books

April 27, 2015 by Alyssa

Hi friends! Today is our last day of Bard on the Blogs which means I am going to remind you one last time to go forth and enter a Rafflecopter giveaway because we want to give you a Shakespeare retelling, my friends!! Also don’t forget to head over to Alexa’s blog to see what amazing posts she has to offer!!! My very dear friend Amy from Tripping Over Books is gracing us with her lovely presence today and she even made a MAP! WE LOVE MAPS OVER HERE, FOLKS!! Take it away, Ame!

First of all, I want to thank Alyssa and Alexa for hosting this wonderful event! I’ve always enjoyed Shakespeare, so it’s fun to be able to talk about him and his work in all kinds of new and fun ways.

Second of all, I had a great time making my World of Shakespeare map! Even knowing his works in limited detail like I do, it’s clear that very few of Shakespeare’s plays take place in his own country, especially in his own time. This map isn’t about chronology, though. Just straightforward geography. It doesn’t include any of his histories, either.

A few notes: If a play takes place in more than one country, I only used one on my map. That’s simply logistical; I didn’t have enough room. This map is also of Western Europe, but some of Shakespeare’s plays don’t take place there. So, alas, some locations and works are only mere notes on the side. There are also a few plays that don’t have any specific location within a country, so I just made one note for those as well. For places–basically Italy–that had SO MANY PLAYS, I put pushpins in the actual locations, but grouped the notes into bigger groups. You’ll see.

So, without further ado, A MAP!

Bard on the Blogs: Guest Post by Candice From The Grown-Up YA

April 26, 2015 by Alyssa

Today we have Candice from The Grown-Up YA chatting about different adaptations of Much Ado About Nothing! As I told you guys before, this play has the best adaptations! Enjoy her reviews and clips below and then head over to a Rafflecopter giveaway to enter our giveaway for a chance to win a Shakespeare retelling of your choice!

One of my favorite Shakespeare plays is Much Ado About Nothing. I’ve loved this one since I was young and feel like I get more out of it every time I watch it! My favorite thing about this particular play is the two main characters, Benedick and Beatrice. I’ve always been a fan of witty characters who banter with each other, although wouldn’t surprise me if the reason I loved these types of characters was because of these two!

Today I’m talking about 3 different adaptions of this play, all of which I encourage you to go watch! I’ve focused on the two main characters, Benedick and Beatrice, and about how great I found these performances to be!

Much Ado About Nothing (2012) – Joss Whedon version

When I heard my favorite director was going to be adapting my favorite play starring my favorite TV couple I swear I squealed for DAYS. I literally became the ultimate fan girl. What made this one even better is that it is chock full of Whedon-esque actors.

With a modern day setting and only minimal changes, I was very glad to see that this adaptation stuck to the original play. At first I might have had a teensy bit of trouble separating Benedick and Beatrice from Wesley and Fred, but after a little while that went away. The film definitely has that indie, college film student, foreign film vibe going on but I thought that just added oh so much to the story.

One thing I did notice about the portrayals in this adaptation was that it was very somber at times. While in other adaptations the interactions between these two characters are active and almost border-line comedic, I felt this one took on a darker tone and certain lines felt like a punch in the gut. There was a little back story created between Benedick and Beatrice, so hearing some of their dialogue changed the meaning from light banter to pain-tinged arguments.

Much Ado About Nothing (2011) – Wyndham Theatre/DigitalTheatre.com Version (aka Doctor Who edition)

Now for some more fangirling! Did you know that there is a Doctor Who edition of Much Ado About Nothing? Did you? DID YOU?! I didn’t either.

But there is!!!

So maybe it’s not ACTUALLY a Doctor Who edition, but it does star some of my favorite Doctor Who actors! David Tenant and Catherine Tate star as Benedick and Beatrice and honestly these two can do no wrong! This is actually a stage version but you can watch it at DigitalTheater.com (I know I will be!)

I watched a few clips from it and man oh man David Tenant really knows how to stretch his acting legs. While I love how he acts anyway, there is nothing better than when he really gets going. His whole body expresses what he is saying, his facial expressions are top notch, and throw in that Scottish accent and it’s like something magical happens! And Catherine Tate is just phenomenal period. I love her humor and the way she can deliver a line. While I can’t see her as anything but Donna Noble, the little I’ve seen of her as Beatrice was perfectly endearing!

One thing that I think is oh so important to these roles is the chemistry between the two actors. Benedick and Beatrice, while disliking each other, have this perfect chemistry that allows them to banter and bicker flawlessly. It’s a battle of wits, to the death! Tenant and Tate have great chemistry already which I think makes them both perfect for this bantering couple.

And then there’s this scene…

David Tenant never ceases to entertain me!

Much Ado About Nothing (1993) – Kenneth Brannaugh version

I would be absolutely remiss if I didn’t talk about the performance that made me absolutely fall in love with this play, the 1993 film with Kenneth Brannaugh, Emma Thompson and every other popular 90s actor.

Let’s be honest: Kenneth Brannaugh is phenomenal. I have yet to see a role he has played that I have hated. Ditto times a million for Emma Thompson. These two are like the Hollywood dream team in my opinion and their performances as Benedick and Beatrice were spot on.

I love this particular scene. Even though they’re both being pretty scathing to each other, you don’t feel like you’re watching something completely awkward and horrible. It’s like either of them could say something absolutely horrible to you but with the way they said it you would probably laugh and go have a beer with them afterwards.

What strikes most about these two characters is their range as actors. They can both express a myriad of emotions and feelings and thoughts seamlessly. These two characters certainly have a way with words and their tongues are extremely quick; while I’ve never played either role (obviously) I imagine with all those words their meaning can easily be missed. I never felt that Brannaugh nor Thompson let me miss a single thing thanks to their spot on delivery.

This play truly has it all: deception, love, mystery, romance, deception (so much that I listed it twice!), comedy, wit, pain, passion… Out of all Shakepeare’s plays, this one really captured my attention and my heart.

Bard on the Blogs: Guest Post by Emma from Miss Print

April 26, 2015 by Alyssa

Hello there, friends! Today, we have Emma from Miss Print chatting all about one of my favorite sonnets by William Shakespeare, Sonnet 130! After you are done reading, head on over to check out Emma’s blog and Twitter and head over to a Rafflecopter giveaway and enter for a chance to win a Shakespeare retelling of your choice!

What’s the first word that comes to mind when you hear the name William Shakespeare?

For me, the immediate answer is “poet.”

Considering the iambic pentameter of his plays, it makes sense that Shakespeare was also a brilliant

poet who wrote 154 sonnets

over the course of his lifetime. In each sonnet, he drew out beautiful imagery and sentiments from the

rigid form that follows a specific line structure and rhyme scheme.

One of my favorite Shakespeare sonnets, one I refer to often when trying to improve my own writing, is

Sonnet 130.

Sonnet CXXX

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;

Coral is far more red, than her lips red:

If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

I have seen roses damasked, red and white,

But no such roses see I in her cheeks;

And in some perfumes is there more delight

Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know

That music hath a far more pleasing sound:

I grant I never saw a goddess go,

My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:

And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare,

As any she belied with false compare.

Like the best poems, Sonnet 130 is layered. Instead of showering his mistress with false comparisons,

the narrator suggests that he loves her all the more fiercely for seeing her clearly–a beautiful thought

that is as relevant today as it would have been in Shakespeare’s own lifetime.

The interplay between what is overtly stated and what is left unsaid here works as a primer for how to

write and how to do it well. This sonnet never calls the subject of the poem beautiful or any other

niceties. Still, by the end, it’s impossible to think the narrator feels anything but a deep love for the

subject.

Sonnet 130 challenges everything readers think they know about love poems–and it does so with

humor. Being a sonnet is impressive enough, but also being funny and conversational? Being timely and

relevant while being more than four hundred years old? Astonishing.

Like a magician diverting the audience’s attention, Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 is a misdirect of sorts as he

uses simple language and plain ideas to give voice to an abstract concept. And, really, isn’t that the

standard to which every poem, not to mention every writer, should strive?

Bard on the Blogs: Guest Post – Review: The Merry Wives of Windsor by Erika of Rickus Bookshelf

April 25, 2015 by Alyssa

Today we have a great post by Erika from Rickus Bookshelf! Erika has reviewed one of the lesser known plays by William Shakespeare. The Merry Wives of Windsor! Don’t forget to head over to a Rafflecopter giveaway to enter for a chance to win a Shakespeare retelling of your choice!

The Merry Wives of Windsor.

Picture from http://publishingperspectives.com/2012/09/will-the-real-john-falstaff-please-stand-up/

When speaking of Shakespeare, one mostly thinks of Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Hamlet. But in all honesty, Shakespeare is so much more.

The Merry Wives of Windsor is one of Shakespeare’s comedies and one of the underrated ones. It also happens to be my favourite. It is believed to have been written in the late 1500s or the early 1600s, apparently this cannot be completely certified. It isn’t really important for this review anyway.

The play is built like a farce. It relies heavily on physical gags and several linguistic jokes (although this is not uncommon with Shakespeare), which gives life to the comical theme of the play. It is probably the play of Shakespeare’s that is the most fun to watch due to the way it is staged. The intrigue in Merry Wives is never too dramatic as it is in some of his other comedies, instead the tone is jovial throughout and never deviates from this joviality. The characters are of course what makes the play, and the mix of personalities only enhance the comical air of the play.

Characters (There are many more than those below, but these are the important ones)

Mistresses Ford and Page are the wives of Windsor. They are both married, Ford to a jealous man and Page to a very trusting man. They both receive a letter from Falstaff, wherein he tries to seduce them. Both are very affronted by this and swears revenge. Not in an evil vindictive way, but in a manner that will teach him a lesson (well, possibly also ruin him). Mistress Page is also battling her husband over who their daughter should marry: both of them supporting different suitors.

Falstaff is a knight and a character that can be found in several of Shakespeare’s plays. He believes himself to be God’s gift to women and tries to seduce most of them. He tries to seduce Mistresses Ford and Page in order to get his hands on their husbands’ cash.

Picture from http://londonist.com/2010/08/theatre_review_merry_wives_of_winds.php

Master Ford is the extremely jealous husband of Mistress Ford. He believes that his wife cannot be trusted, and creates his own plot to catch her in the act of cheating. He creates a persona, Master Brooke and intends to get Falstaff to aid him in catching his wife cheating. However, he finds that his wife has already sent a letter to Falstaff, asking him to come to her house.

The main plot is centred around the wives clever plotting, Falstaff hubris and Ford’s jealousy. However, there is also a subplot, which focuses on the fair Anne Page (Master Page and Mistress Page’s daughter) and who she will choose to marry. Both her parents wants her to marry different men, neither in which Anne is interested. She has her eye set on a third suitor.

An honourable mention goes out to Mistress Quickly. She is a servant to the town’s French doctor and acts as everyone’s messenger. She creates her own little plots and is the one who actually listens to Anne and helps her get the man she want’s. Mistress Quickly has a knack for misunderstanding and mishearing conversations, hearing sexual innuendos where there are none (well, it’s Shakespeare. There are always sexual innuendos).

So, why should you read/watch this amazing play? Because it is one of the few of Shakespeare’s plays that will not upset anyone (apart from maybe the French or the Welsh). “What?” I hear you say. What I mean by that is that the women are strong without being mean or cruel, the men who are flawed (like jealous Master Ford) are redeemed at the end of the play and see the error of their way. Love and reason conquer all. Exactly what you want from a comedy. The only “mean” jokes are made when speaking of the French doctor or the Welsh clergyman.

The female characters in this play are just fabulous. They are strong-willed, yet loving. They get to be clever and demand revenge for a slight on their person, without being labelled cruel or demonic. Female friendship is also celebrated and the friendship between the two women is an equal one, wherein they both support and help each other. The male characters (well, mostly Ford) are redeemed and learn the importance of trust and love. Falstaff is publically shamed for his behaviour at the end of the play, and shown that one should not mess with another man’s wife. The Page’s realises that they should have listened to their daughter and respected her wishes. Everybody gets a happy ending. Like any good comedy that is.

The final question is: should you read it or watch it? As we all know, Shakespeare can be quite tricky to read due to the language. This is one of those plays that you kind of need to watch to fully appreciate it. Since a lot of it is dependent on physical gags, reading it fails to bring out all the finer points of the play. It can actually get boring when you read it, but this is never the case when watching it. I totally recommend you to get a hold of Shakespeare’s Globes official DVD recording of the play, it is brilliant.

Fortnight of Fright: Asylum Review by Sarah (Friends with Characters)

October 28, 2014 by Alyssa

Heyy friends!! Carrying on with the reviews of creepy books, we have Sarah from Friends With Characters reviewing Asylum by Madeline Roux, a book that sounds like it would be right up my alley! Take it away, Sarah!

Halloween is definitely my favorite holiday. It’s so much fun dressing up and I love scary stories. I read Asylum by Madeleine Roux and it definitely is a creepy story perfect for Halloween.

Asylum (Asylum #1)

by Madeleine Roux

Asylum is a thrilling and creepy photo-novel perfect for fans of the New York Times bestseller Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, New Hampshire College Prep is more than a summer program—it’s a lifeline. An outcast at his high school, Dan is excited to finally make some friends in his last summer before college. But when he arrives at the program, Dan learns that his dorm for the summer used to be a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum—a last resort for the criminally insane.

As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, explore the hidden recesses of their creepy summer home, they soon discover it’s no coincidence that the three of them ended up here. Because the asylum holds the key to a terrifying past. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring found photos of unsettling history and real abandoned asylums and filled with chilling mystery and page-turning suspense, Madeleine Roux’s teen debut, Asylum, is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity.

My Review:

Dan is an extremely awkward person. He goes to the New Hampshire College Prep program to meet people with interests similar to his. At the NHCP he meets Abby, an artistic girl, and Jordan, a math genius. Dan and his new friends find some creepy pictures at their dorm rooms. The dorm room used to be an asylum for the criminally insane. It looks like the criminally insane haven’t exactly left.

Asylum was a creepy book. The scenes describing the old asylum were very realistic. I think that Madeleine Roux did her research. I bet the second book will be even better. Continue reading →

Fortnight of Fright: Coraline Review by Jessie Reads Everything

October 24, 2014 by Alyssa

Wow you guys, when I asked Jessie to guest post on my blog for Fortnight of Fright I didn’t know that she was a fellow Neil Gaiman fangirl. Needless to say, I am insanely excited for you guys to read her review of the movie adaptation of Coraline!

I absolutely adore Neil Gaiman’s books! His writing style tends to be equal parts whimsical and creepy. I’ve been a Gaiman fangirl ever since I read Coraline back when it released in 2002. I loved it! It was atmospheric and weird and just downright creepy! It didn’t take long to read and when I finished the only thought I had was how I wished they’d make the book into a movie.

While Coraline the Book and Coraline the Film are very similar, they have some notable differences that help bring the story to the screen. But they both tell the story of a bored girl’s journey into another world that is so much like our own yet so different.

The book portrays Coraline as a lonely, attention-seeking girl who is bored of the rusty and worn out house she lives in. Her parents pay no attention to her, and the neighbors are more than a bit eccentric. Some might refer to them as freaks. Things change when she finds a doorway into a parallel world that mirrors her life. Coraline, courageously embarks on a bizarre and frightening adventure to find just what she wants in life. The story is filled with frightening imagery, descriptions of the occult, and a darkness that is deepened by the simple yet powerful language Gaiman uses. The writing and the prose are part of why this book stands out from other children’s. Not to mention it contains one of my favorite quotes:

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” Continue reading →

Fortnight of Fright: The Bad Place by Dan Poblocki

October 22, 2014 by Alyssa

You guys may remember me reviewing The Ghost of Graylock by Dan Poblocki last year – you guys might not know that after finishing it I pretty much bought every title written by Dan and fangirled at him at the Children’s Author Carnival in May this year. To be frank, Dan Poblocki is fantastic. He is an impeccable writer, and an all around nice guy. Therefore, when I asked him to join us for Fortnight of Fright I had high hopes, and basically squealed in delight when he agreed. Read on to hear about some of Dan’s inspirations for The Book of Bad Things – which I will be reviewing during Fornight of Fright, and let us all simultaneously pray to the horror gods that he decides to write us some creepy adult novels very soon!

The Bad Place

Dan Poblocki

I once heard film-director Guillermo Del Toro say in an interview that there are three horror-story tropes that are continuously retold: stories in which our homes are being attacked, stories in which our bodies are being invaded, and stories about bad places. When I think of horror classics, they pretty much all fit. Some work in more than one category. Dracula is a perfect example – the castle in Transylvania is a bad place, and later, the vampire invades characters’ homes and infect their bodies. More typically, certain subsets within the horror genre fill the tropes in more specific ways. Slasher or serial killer tales are about home invasion. Alien, zombie, and monster myths often explore body horror. Finally, haunted house and ghost stories are perfect examples of bad places.

When I consider my own work, I find that of these ideas, the one I’ve explored the most is this last one.

What exactly is a bad place? I believe it can be anywhere that fills you with an unexplainable feeling of dread. A house, an apartment, a hotel, a forest trail, a field, a park, a room, a closet! It doesn’t even necessarily have to be a typically scary spot; maybe it’s a landscape drenched in sunshine or a room filled with toys. The thing about the archetypal bad place is that it leaves you with a feeling that you’re trespassing, that something doesn’t want you there, or maybe it does want you there but for a terrible reason. Continue reading →

Fortnight of Fright: Guest Post by Eldritch Black

October 20, 2014 by Alyssa

Hello, friends! I am incredibly excited because today I have Eldritch Black, the author of The Book of Kindly Deaths (reviewed – HERE & spoiler alert: I loved it) on the blog today. He is sharing a pretty fantastic post written by Horasmythe Spindleclef, the food critic for the Grimwytch Gazette, on some of the many places to frequent around Grimwytch – and which places you should avoid, as well. ALSO he has been so kind to sponsor a giveaway, so read on and after you’re finished, enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win a copy of The Book of Kindly Deaths, AND a gorgeous necklace featuring the lovely book. Happy reading!

Unearthly Delights

Greetings, my name is Horasmythe Spindlecleft, also known as the gourmet of gourmets. If you’ve ever dined in my modest little Inn “The Fat Cobblefoot”, situated on the side of the Foggypeake mountains, you’ll be well aware of my extensive knowledge of food. And the finer things in life.

You’ve no doubt heard of my infamous twice-fried bat wings and hair of Hackthin tart, creations of exquisite beauty, though I say so myself. Not to mention my highly regarded Doormouse eye on toadstool and very-berry-sherry sauce.

It’s with great pride that I can announce I’ve been appointed chief scribbler of food reviews for the Grimwytch Gazette.

Below are the very first of many pearls of wisdom concerning places where weary travelers may sip and gorge upon unearthly delights. Outside of The Fat Cobblefoot.

As well as places to avoid like Fungal-throat plague.

The Malady Inn

A Fairly good stock of Old Catwhist, shame about the clientele.

The Malady Inn is a worn old building on the side of the Eastern Blackwood Road. Inside is a cosy, dingy room and its fairly affable landlord, Mr. Barrow. His bar is well stocked for the most part, although not to the scale of The Fat Cobblefoot. I chose a dish of sainted duck, goat-foot soup and a pint of Old Bramble’s Tipsy. It was an adequate meal until a table of Babbleslithers sat beside me and ruined the meagre ambience. Upon finishing their food, one of the more portly among them threw up his entire course through his left eye.

An unpleasant, vulgar end to a mediocre, but serviceable evening. Continue reading →

Love-A-Thon: Interview Swap

February 15, 2014 by Alyssa

Hello fellow Love a Thon participants! Today we are kicking off with a fun interview swap! I had the pleasure of interviewing Regina from The Sunflower Pages! Regina is an English Creative Writing major and she loves teas and cats, sounds like I found a new friend!! Let’s get into the interview, share some love for Regina in the comments and go check out my answers to Regina’s questions here!

I read your “About Me” on your blog and I have some questions:

I have my Bachelor’s in English with a concentration in Elizabethan Literature (YAY, Shakespeare!) how are you enjoying your Creative Writing major and what do you want to do with it after college? Sounds like you are on the path to be an author!

I’m really enjoying my major! I’m so glad I get to learn more about subjects I already love. You are correct, I am hoping to one day be a published author. It’s been my dream since I was a little girl and I’m working hard to make that dream a reality!

Tea and cats are two of my favorite things IN THE WORLD, please tell me more about your love of tea and your crazy cat!

Yay for having favorite things in common! My love of tea runs deep. I drink tea in the morning to wake up, I drink it during the day, and sometimes before I go to sleep. Honestly, I drink tea whenever I feel the need to. Luckily my boyfriend shares my love of tea! We own two teapot sets, a teacart, and a huge selection of tea. I even tried to make green tea ice cream before, but sadly that didn’t work out very well.

Ok, so my cat is pretty hilarious and crazy. When I got her she was super hyper. I ended up naming her after my favorite wake boarder, Danny Harf (a guy). She’s a girl, so it’s spelled Dani. It turns out it was the perfect name for her because she started running up trees and doing back flips off of them. Then she would climb up the fence and just jump off. Since she’s gotten a little older she’s not as acrobatic, but she still runs around and does silly little things. No matter how old she gets she’s always going to be my baby!

Let’s move on to the book related questions!!

Do you have a literary boyfriend? (Mine changes weekly)

I do have a literary boyfriend! He’s kind of my main one that only gets pushed to the background when a new one comes along. He doesn’t go away, he just waits for my new boyfriend to go away. lol Ok, so who is this mystery literary boyfriend? It’s Marcus Flutie from the Sloppy Firsts series by Megan McCafferty. Every time I re-read those books, I fall in love all over again. Especially when he says the things he does. Example: “You. Yes. You.” I could gush forever, but there it is. My literary boyfriend who may never go away.

If you could have dinner with any three people (real or fictitious, dead or alive), which three people would you choose and why?

1.) Ron Weasley, because he’s Ron Weasley! Seriously though, he was the first character I ever truly had a crush on. Then, when Rupert Grint made him come to life I just fell in love with him even more. I also love that he hates spiders (I hate spiders), has an accent, is sweet, and I just loved watching his character grow throughout the series.

2.) Eminem because I’ve been a huge fan of his since middle school. I used to have the biggest crush on him, which led to me fantasizing that we’d meet and instantly connect. I love how raw his music is; it’s honest and it got me through a lot of hard times (as cliché as that might sound). To have dinner with him would be pretty amazing.

3.) Amelia Earhart because she was the first female to fly over the Atlantic Ocean, which is pretty amazing. She was such a courageous woman and a great role model. She wanted to prove that men and women were equal in “jobs requiring intelligence, coordination, speed, coolness and willpower.” I think she did a very good job at proving that point. I would love to have a conversation with her so I could hear all of her stories and words of wisdom.

What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

I could tell you the craziest thing I’ve ever done, but then I’d have to…just kidding. I honestly can’t think of the craziest thing I’ve ever done. My brain is having a moment. How about I share one of the craziest things that has ever happened to me? I have a lot of those stories.

I was driving my ex-best friend home when I saw flashing lights far away in my review mirror. I thought they were going in the opposite direction, so I didn’t pay much attention to them. A few minuets later I saw a cop on the side of the road throwing something down onto the opposite lane from me. Once it was rolled out I realized it was a spike strip. At the same time I came to that conclusion my ex-best friend grabbed my arm and said, “Regina pull over!” I quickly looked up and saw a van flying down the road right at me with about a dozen cops tailing him. He saw the cop throw down the strips so he veered into my lane and we were basically playing chicken.

I had enough time to look up, see him, and then yank myself into the ditch to avoid a head on collision. As I steadied my car in the ditch, I saw my life pass before my eyes. The van and the cops flew by us, while the lights that were behind me had caught up and joined the chase. I still can’t believe I was caught in the middle of a car chase, especially in the small town I live in. I feel extremely lucky I did not get in a crash that day because my car was a Chrysler Sebring Convertible that did not have a roll bar. If we had gotten hit, I don’t think we would have been ok. There was definitely someone watching over me that day.

If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be?

I would really like to be present at the Olympics while they are happening. Whenever they are on, like now, I am always glued to the TV. Watching the Olympics shows you first hand where hard work and dedication can get you. It’s the same for writing. If you discipline yourself in the art, steadily working at it, you can go far. Seeing all of these people living out their dreams pumps me up! I have a lot of respect and admiration for every one of them.

I have yet to read His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, but it is on my definite TBR for this year! What is your “spirit animal,” OR if you could be best friends with a mythological creature, what would it be?

I haven’t read that one either. I would without a doubt, be best friends with a Unicorn! They are just so majestic and beautiful.

If you could be any fictional character, who would it be?

I’d love to spend some time as Veronica Mars. Veronica Mars is one of my favorite shows and I just love her character. How fun would it be to investigate and bust some people? Not to mention, Logan Eccles being my love interest. I’d be ok with that. Plus I love how witty she is. I’d love to be able to come up with witty remarks on the spot like she does.

Up until last year I have had a hard time naming a favorite author and I’m still not sure that I can say with conviction that I have one favorite book. Can you name a favorite author and title? Why are they your favorites?

I think for any book lover that is an extremely difficult question to answer. Although I don’t have one particular favorite book or author, there are a few books I can re-read over and over again. One of these books is Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. This book is beautifully written and one that has touched my heart. It deals with a difficult topic while also adding some humor in as well.

What is one of your favorite quotes? Is it literary? Why is it your favorite?

One of my favorite quotes is “An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail” by Edwind Land. It’s not necessarily literary, but I definitely use it towards my writing. This is such an important thing to remember because it’s easy to get frustrated at what you’re creating. Especially when you read an amazing book then look at what you wrote. Suddenly your work feels insignificant. It’s a good reminder that author’s started out in the same place as you did and it takes a ton of editing/re-writing to get to that final published victory.

I love your choices for who you would take to dinner! Such an interesting bunch, I would like to talk to Amelia and find out about that whole “Bermuda Triangle” business! Readers: don’t forget to check back here later today for some other Love a Thon related posts and if you are tweeting, use the #loveathon to chat with us!

Books Take You Places

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