My favorite picture of me from when I was a kid is me sitting on the bed, sucking my thumb, with a book open on my lap. I must have only been about two or three and yet that picture encapsulates the entirety of my life from that moment forward. I have never stopped loving books. As I got older, there were some books that were so meaningful that I truly couldn't wait to share them with my own kids. Here are 60 Favorite Books From Your Childhood That Your Kids Should Read Now. Not because there aren't any amazing new books, but because reading these books with your kids will give you Keep Reading >>>
30 DIY Harry Potter Crafts
Whether you're Ravenclaw or Slytherin, Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, we've got 30 DIY Harry Potter Crafts to appeal to all of your house loyalties. Now gather your wizarding friends and let's take a step down Diagon Alley for some Potteriffic Fun! *raises wand* DIYium Craftium! In Fact, I love Harry Potter Crafts so much that I wrote a book about them! My book, THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO CRAFTING THE WORLD OF HARRY POTTER IS AWESOME AND YOU SHOULD TOTALLY BUY IT. The Unofficial Guide to Crafting the World of Harry Potter: 30 Magical Crafts for Witches and Wizards from Pencil Wands to House Colors Keep Reading >>>
I Can Say “Nipple Clamps” Here, Right?
It’s a post-Fifty Shades of Grey world, and there is a huge demand for super-sexy romantic novels. Authors work hand over fist to supply readers with what they want, and as a freelancer, I copy edit a lot of erotic romance. What does a copy editor do? Nitpick, mostly. Take a sex scene—the writer’s job is to describe the action and the emotions of the characters. My job is to make sure there aren’t too many hands or too few commas. I respect all my clients and their books, not matter how racy. But let’s face it—the fact that I have Googled “accidental butt-sex” as part of my job is a bit Keep Reading >>>
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! There Is No One Alive Who Is Youer Than You
March second, otherwise known as Read Across America Day, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss’s birthday, has been celebrated by elementary schools across America since 1998. Everyone knows Dr. Seuss … cartoonist, storyteller, and one of my heroes (along with Walt Disney, because that is how I do this adult thing). There isn’t a person who doesn’t have a favorite Dr. Seuss book (and if you don’t, you're dead inside). Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! There Is No One Alive Who Is Youer Than You For me, the first book I remember reading all the way through was Green Eggs and Ham, that silly book about Keep Reading >>>
Turns Out I’m A Hufflepuff. Thanks A Lot, Sorting Hat!
So, I was at a conference (sort of) recently and seated for dinner with other writer/reader types—who are also good friends I get to see not often enough—when the conversation turned, as it does, to Hogwarts’ houses. Look, don’t even pretend you haven’t had the “what house would you be in” conversation, or secretly sorted all your friends and enemies into their appropriate common rooms. Maybe not for a while, but Harry Potter hasn’t ever dimmed on the public consciousness, not with the theme parks and now a new movie. And there’s Pottermore sort of like a fansite, but official. Now, the Keep Reading >>>
7 Hogwarts Teachers You Probably Had IRL
How many of these teachers did you have growing up? At the time, we probably thought many of them were nastier than they actually were and didn’t give them full credit for all of their efforts to teach us all of the valuable lessons that we needed to learn (sometimes the hard way). Teaching is a tough job, even if you have a magic wand! For all of you Muggles out there who never received your owl from Hogwarts, don’t feel bad. Your own education may have been more magical than you gave it credit for! See if you can recognize some of the Hogwarts faculty among the familiar faces of your own Keep Reading >>>
25 Harry Potter Snacks
Hey! I love Harry Potter Crafts so much that I wrote a book about them! My book, THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO CRAFTING THE WORLD OF HARRY POTTER IS AWESOME AND YOU SHOULD TOTALLY BUY IT. The Unofficial Guide to Crafting the World of Harry Potter: 30 Magical Crafts for Witches and Wizards from Pencil Wands to House Colors Tie-Dye Shirts This book is full of charming Harry Potter crafts even Muggles can make! You won't need alchemy or a magic wand to make these magical projects inspired by the world of Harry Potter. With a little Hogwarts creativity and the step-by-step guidance of this Keep Reading >>>
Dorothy Must Die! (And it’s soooo good!)
Books. I love books so much, and I love love loved Dorothy Must Die! It was totally fantastic and amazing and awesome, and I can't say enough good things about it. What I can say is if you're a Wizard of Oz fan (and even if you're not) you still need to read this book. You know I hate spoiling books, so I don't want to tell you too much about it. But...here's the official description: I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you Keep Reading >>>
Just Read
It's banned books week, and that makes both happy and sad. It makes me happy to know that we as a society care enough about reading and free speech to devote a whole week to the books others are trying to ban, but it makes me sad to know those people trying to ban books sometimes win. I'm not saying every book that's ever been challenged is a masterpiece. (Wasn't 50 Shades of Grey one of the most challenged books this year, and uhh-- I already read that book so you didn't have to.) What I am saying is that those books have a right to exist, to be made readily available in libraries and Keep Reading >>>
Pin to Win, Baby
Over the last week, I hosted a writing conference with a few of my closest and brightest friends. during a live chat, the subject of Pinterest came up. I am totally in every possible way completely enamored with Pinterest. Thing w as, my friend Dustin isn't convinced. I mean-- sure he thinks it can be used for fun, but he doesn't see the marketing potential. And so, he's called me out. In a rap battle of sorts. Seeing as how I've never actually been in a rap battle, and chances are this is pretty much the closest I will ever come to one... I AM SO IN. (He also called out my Keep Reading >>>
Put Your Hands Up Because SURRENDER IS OUT RIGHT NOW! *GIVEAWAY*
There are books that make you laugh, there are books that make you cry, and there are books that make your life better just for having read them. That's how I feel about Elana Johnson's SURRENDER. MAN! LOOK AT THAT COVER-- It's freakin' gorgeous, right? I read this book. I read this book before it ever had a cover, before it was ever sold to a publisher, before it was ever... well, a book. It was amazing then, and when I read it again, it was even more amazing, more chilling, and more-- well, just more. I love it so much that I want to give it away to you guys! But Keep Reading >>>
It’s Time to Give a Possession Away!
And the Winner!! The Winner is MEREDITH MCDERMOTT!! CONGRATS MEREDITH! In case you missed my post on Friday, this is Elana Johnson's launch week! And to celebrate, of course we're giving stuff away! I've teamed up with some awesome writer/bloggers and here's what we have in store for you: And today *I'm* hosting the giveaway for two--yes, TWO--of those signed copies. Here's how this works. Leave a comment on this blog post by 11:59 pm, PDT today, and you're entered to win a signed copy of POSSESSION. If you aren't sure what to say, you could answer this question: What is Keep Reading >>>
The View From My Hotel Room!
Is fabulous!! I'm in Salt Lake City today and it's Amazing! So, if you need me I'll be staring at mountains. I love mountains! But while I am gone... don't forget to enter the Possession Giveaway! Don't forget, this is day two of the Elana Johnson POSSESSION Launch Festival of Awesome! Today, go to Lisa and Laura Roecker's site and comment to enter to win a signed copy of POSSESSION and learn the secret time that you need to use the Twitter hashtag #taggedPOSSESSION to win another signed copy of POSSESSION! Meanwhile, don't forget: if you spread the word about POSSESSION, you Keep Reading >>>
The Most Fun EVER
I am freaking out about next week. You know what happens next week? POSSESSION by my good friend Elana Johnson comes out!! (And I am flying to Utah for her Launch Party) I'm so happy for her--it's awesome to see your friend's dream come true. And you guys know me--when I'm happy, I like to give things away! (And apparently I like to get on planes-- there better not be snakes.) So: help me show Elana some love and celebrate her book's release! All next week, we're hosting a mini-love-tour for Elana and POSSESSION--with prizes every single day. We're pulling out all the stops: there's Keep Reading >>>
Judy and The Not Bummer Summer gives us stuff!
UPDATE! We have a Winner! Nicole from As Many as Given! Nicole! I'll email you! HOORAY! Congrats to ALL! Okay, so you know how I'm super picky about giveaways and I only do them if the prize packs are awesome? Well, dude-- there's a totally adorable movie coming out this summer that I'm definitely taking my daughter to-- Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer. (I love things that rhyme.) And... because I love you, and because the movie trailer is so dang cute. We're HAVING A GIVEAWAY! All you have to do is comment below by Friday at 6pm CST, and you could Keep Reading >>>
Bookanistas: Invincible Summer Made Me Smile–And Cry!
Hello Bookanistas! It's Thursday and that means all over the internet authors are going wild for YA books. Me? I'm laughing, I'm crying-- I'm throwing a book across the room in frustration and then running after it because I just couldn't put down Hannah Moskowitz's Invincible Summer. It's a story of a boy and his love of the beach. That sounds so simple, right? WRONG-- It's complicated, it's twisty, and it's sand between your toes gritty. Sometimes you read characters that are so real you feel like you know them. This is exactly that kind of story. Anyone who doesn't read it is Keep Reading >>>
Bookanistas: I totally fell for FALLING UNDER
"Everything changed the night I saw a burning man fall from the sky." That's how the first line of Gwen Hayes' FALLING UNDER starts, and frankly, that's all you need to know--because DUDE is that not the perfect first sentence? I'll pause while you go back and read it again... and again. I'm having trouble writing a review that does this book justice-- it's simply enchanting. You need to read it, and if you don't-- well, I'm just not so sure we can still be friends. :) And since it's Bookanista Thursday, don't forget to check out everyone else's amazing book talk: Elana Keep Reading >>>
In Which I Dance…
Bookanistas Love The Secret Society of The Pink Crystal Ball
I know I know.. I've been so busy lately that I'm pretty much just bringing you book reviews. BUT, at least they're great books, right? Today we're talking about The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball by Risa Green. I mean, how can you not love it. It's pink AND it's secret! (Oh, and there's a magic 8 ball... dang I my magic 8 ball. I wonder if my mom still has it.) What really made this book rock for me was the main character. She's deceptively normal, and I LOVE that about her. I also loved the way the story didn't leave anything behind. That's always one of my favorite Keep Reading >>>
Run, don’t walk…
Sometimes books are more than just stories on the page. Sometimes they make you laugh, sometimes they make you cry, and sometimes they make you think. Beth Revis' Across the Universe is exactly that kind of book. And now, you can go the website and explore the ship before you read it. The ship is so crazy cool--plus, there's the solar light. Ahh! That's their sun! And, today you get to read it. The coolest part? The first 111 pages are free from 11:11 this morning until 11:11 this evening! Ahh! That's Beth! Look at her being all awesome and loving her story so much! Keep Reading >>>
This Bookanista Loves Crescendo
It's Bookanista time, and I'm falling in love with Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick. (Cover Love Squee.) Okay, so here's the thing--it's a sequel, so I don't want to spoil any of it--I just want to tell you that it's not just as good as the first one... it's better! Go, READ, fall in love with Patch, hate Patch, swoon over Patch... :) And don't forget to read about the other amazing Bookanistas and the books they read this week: Christine Fonseca is also raving about THE MOCKINGBIRDS Jamie Harrington is dying over CRESCENDO. Michelle Hodkin is loving on some book Keep Reading >>>
Bookanista: Across The Universe by Beth Revis
Okay, me fail--I was supposed to post this yesterday. Heck, I was supposed to post all sorts of things this week, but again with the fail. Le sigh. Anyway... I don't want that to take away from the awesome that is Across the Universe by Beth Revis. This book. Wow. This Book. THIS BOOK! Yes, it's like that. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to throw it across the room-and that was all in the first chapter. No, seriously. It's HANDS DOWN the best first chapter I've ever read. So, I'll pause while you go read it. Finished? Yeah--best first chapter EVER, right? So, Keep Reading >>>
Bookanista Cover Love: Posession by Elana Johnson
Yaay! It's Bookanista time! If you don't know what the bookanistas are, you can check it out here. Today, I 'm throwing some cover love to an amazing book. Posession by the ever fabulous Elana Johnson. (I know, I know--I talk about her all the time here on the blog, but she's the bomb, ya'll...) I'll be honest--I read this book when it was still just a baby word document, and it was amazing then, I can't wait to see how freakin' amazing it is when it comes out in for-real book form. Here's the thing... anything with a cover this crazamazing (oh yeah, it's so cool that I'm making up Keep Reading >>>
Bookanistas: The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
It's Bookanista time! Woohoo! My favorite day of the week! And this week brings all sorts of win with Kody Keplinger's debut THE DUFF. I love/hate this author so very VERY much. Love because this book is what all contemporary YA should be. It's honest, real, and heartbreaking while still bringing the funny, loving, and caring that all of us strive to write. And the Hate? Dude--Kody wrote this book at seventeen. Let me just say that again for full effect. SEVENTEEN 1 - 7 ! It's the story of a girl whose home life is less than perfect (but not so flawed that it makes her Keep Reading >>>
Let’s Talk About Mockingjay
Let me first start by saying that I am about to get all spoilery up in here. This isn't something I normally do because I hate to give away plots to books, but I want need to talk about this story. Seriously, no holds barred--we're talking right down to the very last page. Please. If you haven't read these, just stop whatever it is you're doing, and go now to your nearest bookstore--pick them up, and I'll see you again in three days. Stop reading if you haven't finished Mockingjay or any of the other books in The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. You've been Keep Reading >>>
BOOKANISTAS: Barry Lyga’s ARCHVILLAIN
I have a little something special for you guys today. Today is the first launch of the new book review bloggers - The Bookanistas: Books are the New Black. I know what you're thinking... what the heck are Bookanistas? Well, rest easy, because I am here to explain: We're a group of writers in all different stages of the publishing process that review super special books we that knock our socks off. The cool part is, because we're writers too, and we know how tough this crazy business can be, we will only be posting positive reviews. Because, dude- no one wants to read a review Keep Reading >>>
Books That Rock – UNHOLY GHOSTS
I've read a lot of dark books, but never anything that paints its dark. magical universe as vivid as Stacia Kane's Unholy Ghosts. It's kind of thriller-ish in that it has you on the edge of your seat freaking out most of the time. Kane takes the ideas of religion and spins them around in this book, everyone in this world knows the church has all the power, but in a completely different way (I'm trying not to ruin it all for you!) My favorite part of this book, though is the description of the world, you know how sometimes they say the world a character in a book? That is so true Keep Reading >>>
Books That Totally Freakin’ Rock – Forgive My Fins
Forgive me for talking about the awesomeness that is Tera Lynn Childs yet again on my blog, but I just have to. Now, let it be known that since a certain redheaded fish type sang all about she wanted to be part of MY world, I've had a thing for mermaids. They're mysteriously beautiful, secretly coy, and they live in the SEA for crying out loud. What could be cooler? So, when Tera's editor was giving away Advanced Reader's Copies of her book, Forgive My Fins, on twitter. I pimped out my kid and her adorableness. Yeah, her entire life is pretty much that awesome. When I got Keep Reading >>>
Spread the Awesome – Splendor Falls
I'm back! First, let me thank you for the kind words and offers to beta read. I got loads done, and I plan to take many of you up on your offers soon. Today I have the chance to participate in one of the coolest blog parties I've ever been a part of. An amazing group of bloggers is spreading the awesome by telling you what books you simply have to read. Many of them are even giving away the books. So check out the list here on Elana Johnson's blog, and maybe you'll learn a thing or two. Heck, you might even WIN something! That's right, it's like a MEGA Super Books That Rock! And Keep Reading >>>
Books That Rock – Hex Hall
For those of you who are new around here, I occasionally review books. And, since I know how much work goes into writing one--I only like to talk about the stories that made me fall in love with them. Who doesn't love a book that rocks, right? A couple of weeks ago, my twitter feed was all abuzz with one story. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. Well, I headed out to my local bookstore to pick it up--because everyone told me it was the kind of story I'd fall in love with. And let me just tell you--they were right. When you read YA Paranormal stories, you assume that most of the time Keep Reading >>>
Books That Rock – Divine Misfortune
I read a great book while I was camping this weekend, Divine Misfortune by A. Lee Martinez.* It was cute without being too cute, fun without being too funny, and just all around awesome. Now, I know this isn't the normal kind of book I write about, but it was just too good NOT to mention to you guys. You see it's all about goofy deities and plain 'ol normal people--but of course it's so much better than that. Isn't that cover freakin' awesome? It totally tells the story in one shot, too. I just think it's cute that the gods aren't the gods we all know and love, and the monsters Keep Reading >>>
Books That Rock – Oh. My. Gods.
I want to tell you guys about one of my favorite YA books, Oh. My. Gods. By Tera Lynn Childs. This book is funny, super cute and all about the romance. The thing about this book is, I didn't even know it existed. No one recommended it to me, I'd never heard of the author... I just happened to be in my favorite half price book store and this cover caught my eye. I picked it up, shrugged and thought, "Huh, this looks like the kind of book I might like to read." That's it... I didn't read the book jacket or check to see if there was a blurb from another author. I just took it home and fell Keep Reading >>>
