2010 in Review

Filed Under: year in review

I love this meme!  It's such a nice way to reflect on the past year.  I swiped it from Jess again.  Here's my review from last year:  part one & part two. 1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?There's that whole having a book published thing, and going on a book tour.  I also made a quilt. 2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?I didn't really make any, so does that count as keeping them?  This year, I've decided I will eat fewer marshmallows (notice I did not say I'm giving them up), finish my next book, and learn how to sew from a … [Read more...]

Book Trailer Fridays – Heidi W. Durrow & The Girl Who Fell From the Sky

Filed Under: books are awesome

The Girl Who Fell from the Sky is on my must read list.  And I love hearing stories about what inspires writers as they create characters, so Heidi W. Durrow's video about her grandmother, who shares a few similar traits with the grandmother in her novel is right up my alley.My Real Grandmother from Heidi Durrow on Vimeo.The Girl Who Fell From the Sky, a story of "Rachel, the daughter of a Danish mother and a black G.I. who becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy," is the winner of the 2008 Bellwether Prize for Fiction. Here's what reviewers are saying about it:"The Girl Who Fell From … [Read more...]

Things I’m absurdly excited about

Filed Under: Mrs. X can suck it, STAY

With the holidays, friends in town, and several people I love having birthdays, last week got a little crazy around here, and I didn't get to blog at all. I'm working on a year end wrap up post for later in the week, but a few things have had me jumping for joy & shouting "Mrs. X can suck it!" recently, and I wanted to share!The cover above is the standard German version of STAY from Weltbild!  The title translates to "Sit! Place! (or stay) Love!" And I'm completely and totally in love with it.  I didn't know it was out until a reader left me a comment in German on the Facebook page on New … [Read more...]

Book Trailer Fridays – Caroline Leavitt & Pictures of You

Filed Under: book trailer fridays, books are awesome

Hope you're all enjoying the holidays! I've been busy working on J's Christmas present like crazy this week. If I can manage to keep it a secret for another twelve hours or so, it may actually be the first year ever, that he hasn't found out about his gift before Christmas. Keep your fingers crossed for me!This week's book trailer is for Caroline Leavitt's book PICTURES OF YOU, which is currently at the top of my TBR pile. I love how eerie the trailer is!Here's what critics are saying about PICTURES OF YOU:"Caroline Leavitt plumbs the depths of grief and forgiveness in the lovely Pictures Of … [Read more...]

Book Trailer Fridays – Claire Cook & Seven Year Switch!

Filed Under: book trailer fridays, claire cook

I'm not sure if book trailers are something people outside of the writer/book blogger world are very aware of. Every time I mentioned the book trailer for STAY during the production process, people would ask what a book trailer is.It's simple! A book trailer is like a movie trailer, but for a book! Lots of authors produce them, and they're a great way to get a feel for a new book.For my very first Book Trailer Friday post, here's the trailer to one of my favorite books this year: SEVEN YEAR SWITCH, by Claire Cook. About the Book:Just when Jill Murray's finally figured out how to manage on … [Read more...]

“Oh, I can gather all the news I need from the weather report…”

Filed Under: addictive tv shows, books are awesome, lists

Well, I still haven't made it to Ithaca to see Marty. Stupid weather!It snowed, then it rained, then it all iced up and snowed some more.  Since hearing about the drivers who got stuck in their cars outside of Buffalo for TWELVE HOURS, I've become a big huge wimp about traveling in this weather. I'm done being intrepid. Wimpy is fine by me. Cold temps, no food, small bladder, and the lack of bathrooms aside, the idea of being stuck with myself in a car that's not moving for twelve hours is terrifying! I don't do sitting in the car well. I've loaded up the crapmobile with books and a … [Read more...]

Yes, I know. I talk funny.

Filed Under: I talk funny

I grew up thinking I didn't have an accent.  People from Queens have an accent.  I grew up in Somers.  There's no such thing as a Somers accent!But then I went to Ithaca College, and lots of conversations followed this script:Me: saying somethingOther person: Huh?Me: repeating something.Other person: What?Me: repeating something again, faster and with great frustration.Other person: WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?Me: spelling the important words.Other person:  Oh! You mean [corrected pronunciation]My favorite example of this was a discussion about a club called The Haunt, in downtown Ithaca.  The closest … [Read more...]

Dear Weather, Bite me. Love, Allie

Filed Under: effing snow, rochester, weather

Okay, so you know how yesterday, thanks to the crazy wind I basically mooned the mail lady and got hit in the head with a door? Well, today Mr. Weather tricked me into spending four hours in the car just to grab a cup of coffee at the exit 42 Wilson Farms gas station off I-90.  I was supposed to go to Ithaca to have lunch with my friend, Marty.  I haven't seen him in ages, and he was so sweet to plan out a wonderful and gluten-free lunch for us (he's the most amazing cook I know, by the way). It was going to be so great to see him and catch up.  I decided to leave early, so I could bum around … [Read more...]