Uncreated Conscience

Last night I went to a midnight viewing of the Hunger Games.

(more…)

On the left, Jennifer Lawrence. On the right, my choice for Katniss, Hailee Steinfeld.

Ah, Twitter, you are always good for blog post ideas when I am running dry. Never let me down!

Today I was mostly inspired by this fascinating discussion on Malinda Lo’s blog about the casting of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in THE HUNGER GAMES. There are some really interesting comments, so I would recommend you go check it out.

But my post isn’t really about Katniss’s ethnicity, so much as readers’ assumptions/expectations when it comes to race in YA fiction and our weird hangups about it.

(more…)

MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

Now that the last book of this trilogy is finished, what do I have to look forward to? I feel bereft, a bit like I did at the end of HARRY POTTER. Alas, alas, alas.

(Actually, I have plenty to look forward to. MONSTERS OF MEN, for one. Also, THE CLOCKWORK ANGEL is on my list of books to read next.)

That being said, I feel the need to write a slightly longer, more emotional reaction-based review of MOCKINGJAY because ZOMG. I got this book at midnight and finished reading in the wee hours of the morning because I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. Oh Suzanne Collins. You are good at writing teh crack.

Warning: SPOILERS BENEATH THE CUT.

(more…)

My blogging initiative goes in fits and starts, but I swear someday soon I shall return to a regular schedule. Sort of. There have been many goings-ons (going-ons? goings-on?) here at Ye Olde Little Big Publisher. Last week I had to write catalogue copy for fifteen titles and the week before we just finished launching our Spring 2011 titles. (One of these days I will write a post on the daily happenings of an editorial assistant. Providing I have the time, that is.)

But more news! Cap’n Sweet Valley has just acquired another nonfiction title, which is a fairly substantive and serious examination of today’s twentysomethings (loosely called Generation Y or Millennials). It is tentatively called THE NEW ADULTHOOD (perfect, non?).

Last week I also participated in an auction, my very first as an acquiring editor! Alas, I didn’t get it, but the author is really awesome and I wish her the best. The entire process was extremely educational and I was immensely flattered that the agent chose to submit to me directly and even more gratified that Ye Olde Little Big Publisher let me participate in the auction. *sniffs* I feel so loved!

Other than that, not much has been happening. This past weekend I went camping with Bear and a friend on part of the Appalachia Trail in New Jersey, near Pennsylvania and by the Delaware Water Gap. We had gorgeous weather, hiked 10 miles, went swimming in a lake, and fell asleep under the stars. I also saw a family of bears! It was wonderful and I won’t lie I pretended to be Katniss hunting in District 12.

My verdict? I wouldn’t survive in District 12. The bugs alone would drive me to the safety of being indoors. I was practically eaten alive by bugs. This is one area where camping on the East Coast and camping in California differ: there are no bugs in California. I remember being able to hike in shorts! That’s not possible here.

Um, can we just talk about this for a second?

MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

From the Scholastic Corporate Communications blog.

Do you hear that? That’s JJ squeeing from her desk in the Flatiron Building.

This is the best costume for the day.

Halloween was a blast this year, but then again, Halloween is a blast every year. I need no excuses to dress up as whatever character I please, but it’s nice when the rest of the world has license to be five years old again. In New York it’s especially great because you get to ride the subway with adults dressed in costume on their way to various parties. On our way to a med school party in New Jersey, The Inimitable Bex and I spotted Dwight Schrute on the N train into Manhattan.

I loathe store bought costumes but I love the creativity of thrifted ones. Bex was Joan Holloway, having borrowed my retro dress and shoes (as well as a coworker’s DD bra) and our friends Alex and Jay were Big and Little Edie, but my roommate Rachel takes the cake as she was Effie Trinket from THE HUNGER GAMES. She had a pink wig, a spring green trench coat, my mockingjay pin, and a glass bowl filled with names for the Reaping. How awesome are my friends?

As the weather has grown cooler, it is now time for me to be busting out the knitting needles. Last year I made a few scarves, a hat, and a pair of mittens before retiring for the spring. This year I am determined to make these mittens (yes, they’re named for the TWILIGHT books, but I don’t care—they’re pretty!), as well as these arm warmers to wear in freezing cold New York offices. More knitting follows beneath the cut.

(more…)

Since I’ve gotten my shiny new MacBook laptop and iPod Touch, I will confess to being more preoccupied with playing with my new toys than doing anything productive or useful, like blogging about the books I’ve read, the movies I’ve seen, or even finding someone—anyone in publishing who will hire me, or finishing revising my novel. (I have not even gotten coffee yet, which just attests to the awesome power of Apple and Steve Jobs.)

It’s mostly because YouTube videos will now actually play on my computer (and iPod!) instead of freezing and skipping about. Last night I stayed up until 4am binge-watching John Green and Hank Green‘s 2007 Brotherhood 2.0 project. Oh internet, never stop being awesome.

But I figure I do owe you a few reviews. This past weekend, I went down to see my Teddy Bear after a long hiatus. Our initial plans were to go paintballing (which I haven’t been since I was 13), but the weather decided it wanted to rain on our parade. Literally. Our Sunday plans to go skydiving also derailed due to inclement weather. Summer, she is mean in a different way from spring. Spring teases. Summer smothers. So Bear, The Inimitable Bex, Oz, and I decided to watch The Hangover instead.

(more…)

Just finished the ARC of CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins.

Am incoherent.

And tragically impatient for the conclusion to the series. I hate cliffhangers! So unfair!