Full Life Sunday, Apr 28 2013

I seldom do the “fan” thing for a couple of reasons: one — at my age, I feel like a stalker when I meet artists I admire up close for they are only meant to be appreciated from afar and through their work. And two — I like to keep the illusion of them being pretty cool people in real life in order to have created whichever masterpiece of theirs I’m in love with.

So you can imagine how awesome it was to get to meet one of my favorite YA authors, Andrea Cremer, at the annual Authors Unlimited event at St. Joseph’s College and discover how down to earth and sweet she is. My 17-year-old son and his friend dug her love of video games too.

And I could go on and on about how humble and forthcoming she was about her writing path but there were so many other things I wanted to cover about the day in so little space (cuz I hate reading others’ really long blog posts — and facebook posts too for that matter) that you’re just going to have to take my word for how surreal the experience was. She’s my new friend-in-my-head (in my Wendy Williams’ voice).

I’d stumbled upon her Nightshade series by accident and couldn’t put it down, falling love with all of the characters, so much so that I got other avid readers to fall in love with the story too — including my sister. In fact, I planned on surprising her with the next book in Cremer’s prequel after having it signed.

Unfortunately, I had other things going on that day and couldn’t get there at the very beginning this time but I could tell by their pictures that the event gets better with each passing year like a fine wine!

The weather was absolutely gorgeous as I felt like the island hasn’t seen an actual spring season in about two years. The college campus was beautiful as always, especially with its rows of trees whose flowers were in bloom lining the walkways. I wished I had a greener thumb to know what they’re called, but they resembled cherry or crabapple trees as their petals occasionally billowed from its branches in a romantic descent.

After taking my two co-conspirators out to lunch, I made it home in time to help my 9-year-old and her friends with their talent show performance. And after staving off my 6-year-old’s complaint about his umpteenth boo boo from playing hard with the bigger kids, I fed everyone and passed out!!

It was one of my best days ever and as I reflect on how much longer getting published is taking me with all of these lovely distractions along the way, disappointment and frustration is not what comes to mind.

All I feel is extremely grateful to have been blessed with such a full life. <3

How’s the spring season been treating you so far?

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April Fool’s Day Monday, Apr 1 2013

Since we couldn’t find the dye I bought, we took it old school & used non-toxic paint & our imaginations

Okay, first, let me get the abject self-deprecating out the way because I’ve got to be one the naughtiest posters in the blogosphere. And although I’d never venture to place such hefty expectations on myself as to blog daily, weekly or even bi-weekly, I did make a lazy man’s committment to at least get one on here monthly. So as we commemorate April Fool’s Day, I shall forgo tricking you with some outlandish story in honor of the day and scold myself for not posting during the whole month of March. *smacks wrist* Ouch!

Besides, I’m a firm believer in blogging about things I randomly deem interesting and not just crank out post after post for establishing-internet-presence’s sake. Not that March wasn’t chock full of busy. 2 of my little one’s birthdays shared the month and we had 2 parties. Then who knew lacrosse could run year round? Sprinkle in work, community stuff, critique group meet-ups with the occasional must-see movie (yes, GI Joe was eagerly anticipated). Before you know it, you have a cornucopia of too-preoccupied-to-write delight.

But I can’t complain, feeling nothing but lucky to have such an abundance of blessings in my life. In all honesty, it helped distract me from my main laptop being repaired as I shipped it off to Hewlett-Packard General Hospital.

Am I the only who holds vigil when their computer breaks down like a sick child?

To top it all off, we had a stellar Easter holiday weekend which I had every intention of fitting in a post in the eleventh hour… if I wasn’t so exhausted from my STELLAR WEEKEND.

So here we are, on April 1st, at the precipice of shipping off 2 of my reasons for living back to school after the blotchy post-hurricane Sandy spring break they had.

We spent part of the weekend in NYC hanging out with my princess, sister and her princess at the American Girl Store, where the bathroom stalls have convenient hooks on the walls and the dining tables have highchairs for your dolls. Where every floor met any fantasy you may have had for your doll from piercing her ears, making shirts or getting hair and facials at the doll beauty salon. And no, computers aren’t the only things that have hospitals. There was also a hospital admitting desk just for your doll, all making it such an experience, how cool would it be to traditionally visit as every Easter holiday? We’ll see.

Decadent chocolate mousse flower pot with jello in an orange peel and pastry on the side

What’d you do during your holiday weekend?

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Sweet Sorrow, Parting Is Saturday, Feb 23 2013

Firefly

“The things you do and the actions you take every day show who you are.” ~Melanie Schmitz

After reading a heartfelt homage to the beloved Firefly series (for which I wholeheartedly concur) @ Melanie Schmitz’s blog Hello Giggles, I was inspired to reminisce about other great post-apocalyptic/dystopian ideas that IMO got released way before their time. Only to die an anticlimactic death on a given network due to the pesky rating system that determines whether a television show will get renewed for another season or not. Thank you, Neilsen!

Dark Angel

Owning both seasons of Dark Angel, I was clearly a fan of the television show which took place in a future of political, economic and moral collapse, where a genetically enhanced superhuman prototype named Max escaped from military confines to dwell amidst the decadent underground street life of Seattle, avoiding government agents who wanted to bring her back into the fold. On a personal note, the show also gave birth to my love of everything Jessica Alba and Jensen Ackles.

Another program I was sorry to see go was 4400 where the reappearance of 4,400 missing persons on a single day confounds the global community as federal agents on the case slowly discover the ways in which the victims have been supernaturally changed. Now, this one may not necessarily be considered dystopian, but I figured to include it while on my soap box.

4400

And though, such storylines were cut short, we were left with unforgettable characters and plots that have given rise to more awesome books and timeless movies.

Because let’s face it, if not for these bold — albeit futile — attempts at bringing great visions to the masses, the 21st century world may not have received more post-apocalyptic/dystopian movies in Minority Report, Serenity, Children of Men, I Robot, Book of Eli, The Matrix Trilogy and Hunger Games so well, right?

What television series do you miss?

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No More Nemo! Saturday, Feb 9 2013

There it is, folks. Somewhere beneath this winter wonderland lays my batmobile, waiting for some brave soul (my husband or teenage son) to remove the foot of snow that rests atop it. And all I keep thinking is how I wish I didn’t have to work today and make snow angels instead. How I’d show my youngest how to roll up a snowman and engage in an epic snowball fight to rival all others. *sigh* But alas, I have to work and leave the youngins’ to it.

I think it’s worth noting that we didn’t lose power. Not that I thought we would. But I didn’t realize how many of us Long Islanders are still traumatized from Hurricane Sandy that it’ll take a few uneventful storms (if there’s such a thing) before we stop stockpiling resources like gas in preparation for it.

Anyhoo, here’s hoping that everyone stays safe and warm!

What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever seen made in the snow?

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Clearing the Cobwebs (a little) Wednesday, Feb 6 2013

Though I’m sure there should be some kind of cruel and unusual punishment for neglecting one’s blog, I’ll thank my lucky stars that one doesn’t exist to date. During my son’s varsity basketball season, I’m happy to fit in my reading and writing when I can. You multitaskers out there understand the delicate thread we attempt to balance everything on, right?

And no matter what, I always end up back in front of my laptop, forever tweaking my manuscript till some special agent rescues it from my anal-retentive fingers. In the meantime, I’ll make an effort to come up for air more often than once… every 2 months.

Happy writing!

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Happy New Year!! Sunday, Dec 30 2012

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Simply, Thank You Monday, Nov 12 2012

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An eventual recap is on its way… Monday, Nov 12 2012

…but not today. #StillWeary

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Book Giveaway! Monday, Oct 1 2012

Over on Ms. Cheryl Klein’s blog, she discussed how she helped Ms. Karen Rivers get The Encyclopedia of Me published. And let’s face it, with a witty voice like…

“Seb frequently smells as bad as Lex, but different. This is mostly because he staunchly refuses to shower more than three times in a week. If you are ever not sure which twin you are dealing with, breathe deeply. If your senses are kickboxed into an eye-watering stupor by the stinging stench of cheap cologne, it’s Lex. If they curl up and die due to the overwhelmingly hideous moldy pong of sweat, combined with the antiseptic, lemony zing of hand sanitizer, it’s Seb. Easy, see?”

…it isn’t hard to figure out why. In fact, if I’m not among the lucky winners to get a free copy of the ARC, I think I’ll buy the book anyway. The interest has definitely been piqued. The challenge (if I chose to accept it) was to write a brief encyclopedia entry either for myself or for the main character of my work-in-progress, and post it either in the comments below her blog or on my own blog/journal/Facebook. And although, I did one both for myself and my main character (because it was fun), I decided to post the entry of my main character, Jessie Ford. Here’s hoping I win :

Encyclopedia Entry-

Ford, Jessica Lillian (October 31, 1996 – present) Living in Port Jefferson for as far back as she can remember, Jessie shares her birthday with Halloween and beloved fraternal twin sister (and polar opposite), Leanne. As the beginning-of-school-year-jitters assailed her, her sophomore year felt like it was all about the unnecessary fuss her principal made over the tornado that hit his hometown and the unwanted attention she’d received about her mom’s car accident. Up until recently, her interests have included drawing and spending time with her besties, Mena and Charles. Unfortunately, the wonder of encyclopedias had waned before her time with the explosion of the internet. And lately, the sun has pretty much risen and set with high school quarterback hotty, Solen Winthrop. He and several gifted kick-butt friends have consumed most of her time. But Jessie can also be found learning how to use a new telekinetic power, so she can fulfill her destiny — save Long Island from a devastating tsunami. After the stakes run high, the legendary Icon dormant within her will awaken.

So what would a line from yours or your main character’s entry say?

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When Two Worlds Collide Wednesday, Sep 26 2012

So I usually reserve my blog for my writing world (and pretty much anything else that comes to mind), omitting the intriguing life I lead as a health professional and community leader. But every once and a while, I like to share my other two worlds because I think it fills in the blanks about why I’m away from updating posts. And I promise not to bore you with monthly updates or anything but as the new school year has begun, I take pride in sharing the Multi-Cultural Committee’s beginning-of-the-year kick-off.

As chairperson for a second year, I’ve had the pleasure of working with parents, volunteers and residents in my town and the school district to help enrich our children’s academic experience by exploring, identifying and implementing effective ways to engage parents in not only their offspring’s social and educational activities but in the community at large.

Bearing in mind the complexity of everyone’s work and famliy schedules, we hope to keep providing a resource for parents where all of the schools’ PTA, police community meeting, Lions Club, Beautification Society and other organization’s information can be disseminated in one place, @ one time so that our kids continue to behave better, do better academically from pre-school through high school, go farther in school and go to better schools.

What about you? Is there anything that you do in your community or kid’s school?

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