Please enjoy this crazy cool stop animation video shared with me by the great and wonderful S.G.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Book Review: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
- Audio CD
- Publisher: Scholastic Audio Books; Unabridged edition (May 24, 2011)
- ISBN-10: 0545315387
- ISBN-13: 978-0545315388
- I finished listening to this audiobook on January 8
I feel like from the cover you could tell that I HAD to read this book. Also, I have a long history of loving Libba Bray. Here are my reviews of her awesome historical fiction/paranormal romance the Great and Terrible Beauty series, here, here and here. She also has a book about mad cow disease which is in my towering to be read pile.
The story is about what happens when an airplane full of teenage beauty queens crash lands on a Lost-like island. Long story short: shenanigans ensue. There is an evil corporation, a Sarah Palin type character named Ladybird Hope, reality tv show pirates and all sorts of other amazing things. Shockingly, the girls don't go all Lord of the Flies on it. Instead they learn to survive and actually turn pretty kick-ass. They find out that they are good at things other than being pretty. They find hallucinogenic fruit. All good things. To boot -the story is broken up by hilarious footnotes and commercials.
What makes this even better was the reading by author Libba Bray. She does a host of amazing voices, from pageant loving Miss Texas to Momo B. Chacha. Oh, what? I forgot to tell you about Momo B. Chacha? Okay, he's an Elvis obsessed dictator of the Republic of Chacha who is working on a secret arms deal and creepy relationship with Ladybird Hope. (I imagine Momo as looking like Kim Jong Il in an Elvis costume (which is, unbelievably, something you can google image search) If you're wondering what this all looks like, I've gotcha covered.
Young love
There are so many adorable characters and great subplots in this book it's hard to tell you about all of it's awesomeness. The book was feminist and awesome without being preachy. There was much laughing out loud by me in my car like a creep. I highly recommend it for girls, people who used to be girls, and people who know girls. One more thing: if you don't read it, you'll never know who General Goodtimes is.
Soundtrack: Killer Queen by Queen
Saturday, January 7, 2012
The Finer Points of Fines
Holy crap, y'all. Okay, so I'm a cnn.com junkie. And today, I'm reading and I see an article titled "Police enforcement of library lending leaves 5 year-old in tears." I reluctantly click to read the article while thinking "Oh hell, ladies...really?"
So yeah - basically the public library in Charlton Massachusetts sent a "friendly" police reminder to 13 local residents to remind them that their library books were overdue. Understandably said delinquent patrons were not impressed. Then...to take matters further into crazy town the library spokesperson told the paper that they felt that the police visits would be "be a kinder way, a friendly reminder saying 'Hey can you bring this back,' rather than sending a summons," because she is high. Holy crap. If you want to see the local news report complete with little girl saying "I was scared" click here. I can only assume that each of her adorable dimples is a coffin nail in someone's career.
You know what? I get it, it sucks when people don't bring things back. The library I work for charges 5cents per day per overdue item with a cap at $5. To be honest, this does not really entice many of our worst offenders to bring back anything. In our school the fines are meant to be a deterrent to overdues, and we are usually willing to let kids slide if they are polite. We are almost always willing to make a deal. We make it very clear to them that we'd rather have our books back then take their money. I understand that these people in Massachusetts want their stuff back, but this is insane. And now it's national news.
Here's the thing, folks - we have been having the "Are Libraries Dead?!" debate since I started grad school. Librarians, when you do things like this: things that make us look like nervous old biddies, things that make us look naggy and mean, things that make us look like relics YOU ARE KILLING US. I mean really.
Not to mention for all of us Stephen King fans out there this is conjuring up uncomfortable memories of The Library Policeman.
So yeah - basically the public library in Charlton Massachusetts sent a "friendly" police reminder to 13 local residents to remind them that their library books were overdue. Understandably said delinquent patrons were not impressed. Then...to take matters further into crazy town the library spokesperson told the paper that they felt that the police visits would be "be a kinder way, a friendly reminder saying 'Hey can you bring this back,' rather than sending a summons," because she is high. Holy crap. If you want to see the local news report complete with little girl saying "I was scared" click here. I can only assume that each of her adorable dimples is a coffin nail in someone's career.
You know what? I get it, it sucks when people don't bring things back. The library I work for charges 5cents per day per overdue item with a cap at $5. To be honest, this does not really entice many of our worst offenders to bring back anything. In our school the fines are meant to be a deterrent to overdues, and we are usually willing to let kids slide if they are polite. We are almost always willing to make a deal. We make it very clear to them that we'd rather have our books back then take their money. I understand that these people in Massachusetts want their stuff back, but this is insane. And now it's national news.
Here's the thing, folks - we have been having the "Are Libraries Dead?!" debate since I started grad school. Librarians, when you do things like this: things that make us look like nervous old biddies, things that make us look naggy and mean, things that make us look like relics YOU ARE KILLING US. I mean really.
Not to mention for all of us Stephen King fans out there this is conjuring up uncomfortable memories of The Library Policeman.
Not how I want to be thought of...
So please, librarians, I'm begging you....help out the cause and don't do anything else that's going to get us put in the news for being nuts.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Why I love the internet.
Okay - so, I think an important part of being a librarian is understanding technology. It's also important as a high school librarian to relate the student, to know what they're into.
This post is not about that. It's about my love for the internet. The internet has given us an absolutely insane amount of possibilities for both efficiency and screwing around. It is a big insane, frenetic, ever changing time suck. And it's impossible to explain to someone who thinks it's stupid why nayan cat is awesome and how happy autotuned crap makes me (my favorite autotune is of course, this one)
Now the reason I bring this up is because, as a nerdy blogging librarian I would be remiss if I didn't share with you my new favorite internet nonsense. Hey Girl, I Like The Library Too.
This is a chuck of awesome that consists of pictures of actor Ryan Gosling with lolcat captions about hitting on a librarian. And I effing love it. I love it so hard. I don't know how this stupid beautiful thing happened and I don't need to. I will just enjoy it.
Of course, now I have also discovered that there is a Ryan Gosling Reads Young Adult one too. Also fantastic.
Yes. Thank you Al Gore for inventing the internet so I can have this.
I would also like to mention that I had a pre-existing crush on my boyfriend Ryan Gosling ever since I discovered Dead Man's Bones - his weird/awesome band. You enjoy this nonsense I've shared with you. And this video...
You're welcome.
This post is not about that. It's about my love for the internet. The internet has given us an absolutely insane amount of possibilities for both efficiency and screwing around. It is a big insane, frenetic, ever changing time suck. And it's impossible to explain to someone who thinks it's stupid why nayan cat is awesome and how happy autotuned crap makes me (my favorite autotune is of course, this one)
Now the reason I bring this up is because, as a nerdy blogging librarian I would be remiss if I didn't share with you my new favorite internet nonsense. Hey Girl, I Like The Library Too.
This is a chuck of awesome that consists of pictures of actor Ryan Gosling with lolcat captions about hitting on a librarian. And I effing love it. I love it so hard. I don't know how this stupid beautiful thing happened and I don't need to. I will just enjoy it.
Of course, now I have also discovered that there is a Ryan Gosling Reads Young Adult one too. Also fantastic.
Yes. Thank you Al Gore for inventing the internet so I can have this.I would also like to mention that I had a pre-existing crush on my boyfriend Ryan Gosling ever since I discovered Dead Man's Bones - his weird/awesome band. You enjoy this nonsense I've shared with you. And this video...
You're welcome.
Book Review: The Plot Whisperer by Martha Alderson
- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Adams Media (October 15, 2011)
- ISBN-10: 1440525889
- ISBN-13: 978-1440525889
- List Price: $8.98
- I finished this book on January 2
Okay, soooo...first off, thanks to my gorgeous and talented sissy for letting me borrow this even though it was a Christmas present and you clearly didn't want me to take it.
Alright, let's get down to business: the book. It's about...well....books. Okay, I've probably checked about 15 books on writing in the last couple of years. My favorite so far is Stephen King's On Writing and to be honest, it's only 50% about writing (the other 50% is memoiry. Yeah, that's a word). The other ones? Yeah...I'm not saying I didn't read them but...I didn't finish a single one. The closest I've ever gotten to finishing a book about writing was 90 Days to Your Novel of which I probably read 3/4. Why am I telling you this? Because you should know I read this whole book cover to cover. And that's got to say something.
The book has some slightly cheesy encouragement parts and a lot of stuff about how your story fits in the "Universal Story"
The Universal Story would be more fun if there was a luck dragon in it.
But aside from that stuff the book is a solid, step-by-step plot building guide. Alderson takes you from the general story stuff to the in depth: character development, transitions, themes, all the elements you need to develop a great story out of your ideas. As in all books about writing Alderson uses several examples from classic works and popular literature. Now...I read a lot, and I will tell you, it's pretty rare that one of these books references a book I have read. This one mentioned at least two or three I had read amongst the many I had not. Gold star for me.
I think this book's advice was particularly helpful for me because of where I am in the writing process - I have finished a first draft (which is mildly terrible) and am revising. I was able to take many of the suggestions and apply them to my story.
If you're a writer, I would wait to begin this book until you have some semblance of an idea to work with before starting. If you follow the steps in the book you will end up with a crazy thorough plot diagram that looks like a rainbow threw up post-it notes on a posterboard.
I think this book's advice was particularly helpful for me because of where I am in the writing process - I have finished a first draft (which is mildly terrible) and am revising. I was able to take many of the suggestions and apply them to my story.
If you're a writer, I would wait to begin this book until you have some semblance of an idea to work with before starting. If you follow the steps in the book you will end up with a crazy thorough plot diagram that looks like a rainbow threw up post-it notes on a posterboard.
And really, if you have that many post-it notes you should be doing this...
In google stalking Mrs. Alderson (like ya do) I found her crazy involved website and a shit-ton of youtube videos she's posted on plotting if you're into that sort of thing. Though, curiously, I couldn't track down one novel she's written, so....weird.
Either way: I liked this. It definitely gave me stuff to think about while I'm revising. I'll probably be featuring different parts of the book as I apply them to my writing process
Either way: I liked this. It definitely gave me stuff to think about while I'm revising. I'll probably be featuring different parts of the book as I apply them to my writing process
Monday, January 2, 2012
Booknerd is back beyotches!
Okay, clearly the blog has been on unofficial hiatus since August 2008. I've decided to dust her off and start her up again, because...well...I need to share my nerd with the world.
The blog started as a New Year's resolution back in 2007 as a way to document all the stuff I was reading. First post is here. I was in library school (yes, that's a thing) at the time and I was reading all kinds of stuff from Library textbooks (also a thing) to lots of YA to straight up trashy romance. The blog back then was pretty much straight book reviews, and then I expanded with some trailers and movie reviews and related nonsense.
Five years later I am an official librarian at a great high school that I am very lucky to work at. I am also a writer, working on my first YA novel. I still read a lot, tons of YA books, lots of Stephen King and no shortage of trashy romance novels either (don't judge me, it's called a guilty pleasure because it's pleasurable!).
Sooo...the point of the new and revamped booknerd blog is still to review books, but I'll also be writing about being a librarian, the writing process, and other nerd-tastic stuff.
Also...when I'm a shamefully famous published YA author you can be all "I knew her before she was mainstream..." etc. You'll love it.
Anyway, you're gonna love it.
Coming up next:
Book review: The Plot Whisper
The blog started as a New Year's resolution back in 2007 as a way to document all the stuff I was reading. First post is here. I was in library school (yes, that's a thing) at the time and I was reading all kinds of stuff from Library textbooks (also a thing) to lots of YA to straight up trashy romance. The blog back then was pretty much straight book reviews, and then I expanded with some trailers and movie reviews and related nonsense.
Five years later I am an official librarian at a great high school that I am very lucky to work at. I am also a writer, working on my first YA novel. I still read a lot, tons of YA books, lots of Stephen King and no shortage of trashy romance novels either (don't judge me, it's called a guilty pleasure because it's pleasurable!).
Sooo...the point of the new and revamped booknerd blog is still to review books, but I'll also be writing about being a librarian, the writing process, and other nerd-tastic stuff.
Also...when I'm a shamefully famous published YA author you can be all "I knew her before she was mainstream..." etc. You'll love it.
Like this guy, only about me...whatever, you get the point.
Anyway, you're gonna love it.
Coming up next:
Book review: The Plot Whisper
Friday, August 1, 2008
Trailer: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Okay, I freakin loved this book and I have a major crush on Mr. Levithan (1/2 of the creator of this book). You can read my review of this book here. I also think Michael Cera (who plays Nick) is adorable and I want to bite his face so this should be good. The Norah girl is pretty so that's also nice. The trailer looks good and funny albeit like there's lots of stuff that doesn't happen in the book. The movie comes out on October 3 and here's the IMDB page.
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