What will they sound like?

I’m attending a Reader and Author Get Together this weekend and I’m stoked!  I’ve never been to a conference before and I’ll be the virgin in my group.  I’m meeting up with my writer friend Julie and her crazy book blogger Nikki.  Along with them, there are other writers we all know and follow on Twitter (if you haven’t joined, what the heck are you waiting for?  An invitation?  Forget it.  No invite needed!)  Watch out Ohio, here comes trouble!

When you read a book, do you have a particular voice planted in your mind on how the characters sound?  And by voice, I mean, their pitch.  How they actually sound when they speak.

I do.  Sure some writers will describe how their characters sound with a thick Irish brogue or a lithe sounding voice, but usually I make my own determination.

So you have their voice in your head and you’re walking through life pretty content and then BAM, the movie turns into a book.  Are you disappointed?  Did they get it right?  For example, when you watched Twilight, did Robert do Edward justice?  Personally, no but don’t worry Twi-Hards, I am so Pro-R.Pat/K.Stew but when I heard Edward’s voice in my head when I read, he sounded nothing like Robert.  What about Harry Potter?  Did Daniel do it for you? 

So, what does this have to do with my conference this weekend?  I’ve never met either of these ladies but I already have in my head what they sound like.  Am I right?  Who knows?  Will I be disappointed?  Only if they sound like 95 year old woman who chained smoked their entire life.  Why?  They might sound sexier than me! 

Ha! Ha!  But seriously.  I’m going to be spending an entire weekend with them.  I have a feeling the squealing will never stop while the drinks keep on flowing.

I’ll let you know if Julie’s voice sounds as sugary and sweet as she writes and Nikki’s is as sultry and quick as I imagine.  Let the good times roll!

And the winner is......

I've recently increased my Twitter Universe becuase a writer bestie of mine gushed about me *waves to Julie*.  And while I am in complete aww of her and her writing abilities and the many, many tips she shares, I am humbled by her compliments.  As an unpublished, trying to make my way through the slush, writer, I constantly second guess myself.  Am I good enough?  Will people like it?  Am I just foolin' myself?  Then, I have this super-fantastic group of writers who support me constantly and that group is growing.

What does this have to do with winners?  Let me tell ya.

So, I got my first 2 comments on my blog this week!  *happy dance* And one of those comments was from Angela at http://angelawritenow.blogspot.com/ and she said I'd won an award.  Me?  *blushes*  *faints* Thank you, thank you very much.  I'd like to thank the Academy...

Anywho, So I checked out her blog, which you have to read if you like snarky, funny, awersome chics and she was paying if forward with blog awards.  I know, right?  And I was on there for the  Stylish Blogger Award.  Finally, someone recognizes my knack for color coordinating!



So here's how it works:
Here are the rules of this award:
1. Thank and link to the person who nominated you.
2. Share seven random facts about yourself on your blog.
3. Pass the award along to five buddies whose blogs epitomize said theme.
4. Contact those buddies to congratulate them.

Here are my buddies:
Julie Anne Lindsey http://blog.juliealindsey.com/
Amy Spalding http://www.theamyspalding.com/
Nikki Brandyberry http://nikkibrandyberry.wordpress.com/
Gabriela Lessa http://aspiringwriterworld.blogspot.com/
T. Rommel Blossom http://www.myblossomingmind.blogspot.com/

7 Random Facts:
1. I love 80's music and 90's hip/hop rap and shake what my momma didn't give me...a butt.
2. I once took an art test in a magazine and even scored an interview with an art school in CA but never made it.
3. I love eating cold Thin Mint cookies dunked in Peanut Butter!
4. I was a cheerleader in HS and while most don't think it's a sport, it totally is! 
5. I'm a Leo and while we love attention and the spotlight, I myself love the thought of it all but get shy and nervous when it actually comes time to put myself out there.
6. Most of my friends thought I was a complete b**** when they met me becuase I'm super shy when meeting new poeple but once I'm in I can talk your ear off for an hour.
7. When I was a kid I was told that if I did too many cartwheels my kidneys would turn upside down and to this day I still believe it and tell my daughter the same thing.

A Book Made Me Do It!

I just finished reading a wonderful YA novel, 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson.  If you haven’t read it yet, you have to!  So cute!

My post isn’t a review for the book.  Don’t get me wrong, I could gush all day about Ginny and her adventure but what prompted this post was how the book made me feel afterwards. 

As soon as I finished the last line (as well as the excerpt from the next book) I wanted to pack a bag and head to Europe and embark on an adventure of my own.  I wanted to dare myself to do things I’d never had done before.  And that’s the meaning behind today’s blog.

Have you ever read something and it stirred the dust and cobwebs within you to do something.  Like did you read Eat, Prey, Love and want to head off and eat your way around the world.  Or Harry Potter and find yourself staring at the posts along a train station and wonder if you ran fast enough you’d fly right through to Hogwarts?

What have you read that motivated you into action?  Or better yet.  What book did you read and once you were done did you think, “Hey, I could do that.  I’ve got a great idea I could write about.”  I know for some Twilight opened the door for them.  Me?  I don’t think I could pinpoint one book but Twilight did open the door for me into the YA world and I write YA.  Who knew?

I’d love to hear your thoughts and books.