Coffee Week - What Do Authors Drink?

It's a pretty well-known fact that most authors survive on coffee. But what kind?

Sarah Darer Littman (Purge and Life, After) says she likes "iced skim caramel macchiato. Or just iced hazelnut from Dunkin Donuts. Also love Pumpkin Spice Latte in winter. "

Georgia McBride, author and YA Lit Chat founder, says she " Cannot write w/o coffee. PERIOD. I usually add French Vanilla if made at home. Or have Caramel Machiatto if at Starbucks. "

Rosemary Clement Moore (Prom Dates from Hell and Splendor Falls) says "I'm a traditionalist. I like a stout brewed coffee with a *dab* of cream. Because I'm tough but just a little bit girly. "

Lia Habel, author of the upcoming zombie book Dearly, Departed, says she likes "Keurig K-Cups - Newman's Organic Extra Bold or Green Mountain Kona. Could not live without my Keurig. "

My favorite? Orange Bliss Latte (with dark chocolate instead of white) from Seattle's Best Coffee. Heaven in a little red cup.

What's yours?

Coffeeeeeeee Week

Coffee Week is ending up to be a (very caffeinated) two days instead of the originally planned seven. June went by way too fast. It might be better for my health, anyway...

So there's going to be two parts. Today, books. Tomorrow, authors.

Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty by Jody Gehrman is about three girls, two of which hate each other both of which are great friends with the third, who start working at a local coffee shop. And there are, apparently, cute boys.

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer is about a barista who plays matchmaker based on people's coffee orders. I'm a orange bliss latte. Or pumpkin spice. You can match me two. Polygamy!

Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors is a light-hearted romance about a girl who leaves coffee for a homeless man - who turns out to be a guardian angel. This never happens to me.

Are there any other books that mention coffee or have a steamin' cup on the cover? Leave me a comment if I left any out. And come back tomorrow to see author's favorite flavors!

Labyrinth Week - YA Characters vs. David Bowie

While I'm upset I have to cut short all of my featured weeks this month, I'm hella excited I can fit this post in before I drink about fifty(+) cups of coffee and attempt to write/blog. Coffee Week is gonna dangerous, but luckily this website says I can drink almost 100 cups before I die. It doesn't say anything about literacy, though...

But today. YA Characters vs. David Bowie. You read it right in the title. Who is Jareth, the goblin king of Labyrinth, most like?

The Iron King from Julie Kagawa's book of the same name. I mean, seriously, it made me want to run and pop my movie in stat. If you're a Labyrinth fan, you should definitely read this one.

Jace from City of Bones. He has that cocky, superior, better-than-you 'tude, but he still has some vulnerability.

Patch from Hush, Hush. He's dangerous and seductive and sometimes wants to kill the main character. And now I have a mental image of Patch wearing The Pants (pictured), which is very disturbing and awesome.

If you like any of these books, watch Labyrinth. And if you like Labyrinth, read these books. Or do both, if you haven't experienced either. Because you're lacking awesomeness - but that's easily cured by heading to Blockbuster and finding Labyrinth. Seriously, you'll never be the same.

Labyrinth Week - FanFiction

Every story has a million different stories in it. If even one new character were introduced, or one different event happened, everything could change. That's why I love writing.

And that's why, when I love something that's over, I read fanfiction - because, hey, I'm a dork. Or books based on the originals. (Like the Buffy books!) Because there are so many different interpretations and views and ideas on any set of characters or setting.

One of these things I love is Labyrinth, obviously.

That's why I easily got addicted to Pika-la-Cynique's Labyrinth/Phantom of the Opera mashup, Girls Next Door. I seriously suck at drawing, so I give major props to the creator. It's really addicting in a majorly guilty-pleasure way and completely hilarious if you're a pop culture junkie like me.

And the mangas, Return to Labyrinth. I've never previously read a manga, but hello. Throw me some labyrinth action and I'm so in. The art is gorgeous and the storyline interesting - it talks about what happens after Sarah leaves, mostly involving her brother.

I love when artists and writers take a story that far - when they expand on it and push it and breathe life into it. It's a credit to the original work and it shows how much the creator effected their audience.

Labyrinth Week

Dance, Magic, Dance

There's nothing more creepy or satisfying than the link above. If you haven't seen Labyrinth with David Bowie, watch that link. And then, for obvious reasons, go rent it. Here's why:

There's something about fantasy novels that I love, and I think it applies to Labyrinth, too: world building.

In the labyrinth, left is right and right is sideways and up is fifty feet behind you. It's full of goblins and pixies and worms that drink tea. It has a king that can turn into an owl and a yeti that controls rocks and a fox that rides a dog. The labyrinth completely surrounds you in it's world so much that it feels like flesh and blood.

So when I found out that Labyrinth was also a book, I might have freaked out a little. Labyrinth is an amazing movie, but there are only so many details you can fit into two hours. Books have the little things - the details that make the big picture worth looking at.

You can read the full novelization here. Have fun. :)

Bloody Jack Week - Wrap-up

If you've been following my posts this week, you've seen that Bloody Jack has feisty pirates, a realistic 1800s society, and characters you can't not meet. There's a lot of adventure and romance and action and epicness.

So read them. I'm planning a Bloody Jack challenge for 2011 with a lot of awesome prizes. Get a head start. And head over to Word for Teens for more Bloody Jack posts this week!

Labyrinth week starts later tonight, followed by coffee week on Sunday. So look out for The Pants (a la David Bowie) before June is over, and find out which books have me running to my coffeepot.

Clarissa Worthington Howe - Bloody Jack Week

Today, as part of Bloody Jack Week, Nicole from Word for Teens - someone who's as crazy about Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer as I am - is guest blogging about one of her favorite characters in the series. If you haven't read it yet, maybe this will convince you...

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Don't Mess With Miss Howe

My favorite character in the series, and perhaps of all time, is Jacky Faber. There is no denying this. She is kick ass, sarcastic, honest, funny, witty, amazing, crafty, flirty, innocent - everything and nothing all at once, and so very fun to read.

But one character does not a book make.

And perhaps my second favorite character in the series is one that crops up as a backup character in several books - or not so much as a backup character. Miss Clarissa Worthington Howe is a prick, a stuck up brat, a spoiled child, a beautiful, er, witch, and undoubtedly entertaining.

Your typical Southern belle.

I mean, come on - look at this entrance!

"My name is Clarissa Worthington Howe, of the Virginia Howes," says the girl, after looking at my face for a bit. "You may call me Miss Howe."

Does that not just scream witch to you? She's like this for the entire first book you meet her - playing against Jacky, baiting her, calling her out on things.

It's fantastically fun.

And she makes a reappearance later on in the series in my personal favorite book, Belly of the Bloodhound. Her and Jacky are forced to band together to outsmart a crew that has kidnapped the entire Lawson Peabody School for Girls.

And what is better than two arch enemies working together?

... two kick ass female arch enemies working together! You see the side of Clarissa that's gritty, that does what needs to be done, all while not losing a bit of her holier-than-thou attitude. And she becomes nearly as quotable as Jacky. (Nearly.)

"Back there on the boat? There is a part of me that really would have enjoyed eating your liver."

I mean, how awesome is she? Everybody loves a good not-villain. (I mean, she's not a villain. She's on Team Jacky. Just unwillingly.) And she's a real character. With real feelings. Not just one of those preppy girls that you see floating around the modern day books that are there just for the plot line. No, she's a three dimensional, I-want-to-high-five-her character.

In conclusion: Read Bloody Jack. Not just for the kick ass Jacky Faber, but for the delicious witchy southern belle that is Clarissa Worthington Howe.

Time Periods - Bloody Jack Week

The setting and time period of a book is very important to the story. If a book is set in a different place or time, it needs to be authentic. There needs to be research and knowledge and history behind every word.

In Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer, history is a major factor. It takes place during the early 1800s, in Napoleon's reign, which is hinted at through many of the earlier books and expanded upon more later on.

Because of the Napoleonic Wars, Jacky and her gang face their share of war-talk, and as it's set in the 1800s, the women are much more prim and proper than Jacky grew up experiencing on the streets.

There's a scene in particular, when Jacky is dancing, that is viewed as scandelous because her bare ankles showed. Her ankles. If that's not a demonstration as to how different society was, then you haven't been shopping recently.

Women weren't considered equals then, but Jacky paid no mind to that. She danced, ate, slept, swam, and talked like a man would - which is interesting enough when she's sent to a girl's boarding school.

The society and setting is very important to this series, but it's done in a subtle way. You're pulled into this world and time period slowly - until you're fully and completely engrossed in it. It's done masterfully.

What are some other books that rely heavily on setting?

Pirates - Bloody Jack Week

One of the main reasons I wanted to read Bloody Jack was the mention of pirates. I'd accidentally picked up the third or fourth book in the series from my library and read the summary. I saw the word "pirates" and was convinced. This was during my very understandable obsession with Johnny Depp and Pirates of the Caribbean, so I was, erm, a little excited.

I had read Pirates! by Celia Rees and enjoyed it, but my pirate literature ended there. I wanted more, more, more and I got it when I picked up Bloody Jack.

It's not just Johnny Depp that got me interested in pirates (although that certainly didn't hurt.) They're rough and greedy, yet part of their rebellion is charming. But that's still not why they're so interesting. It's the adventure. The life at sea. And, mostly, the comaraderie. The loyalty.

They may seem like an anti-society, but each ship, overseen by it's captain, is like it's own society. They have rules and regulations.

From Wikipedia, here's a sample piratry Code of Conduct...

-Every man shall obey civil Command; the Captain shall have one full share and a half in all Prizes; the Master, Carpenter, Boatswain and Gunner shall have one Share and quarter.

-If any man shall offer to run away, or keep any Secret from the Company, he shall be marroon'd with one Bottle of Powder, one Bottle of Water, one small Arm and shot.

-If any Many shall steel any Thing in the Company, or game, to the Value of a Piece of Eight, he shall be marroon'd or shot.

-If at any Time we should meet another Marrooner (that is Pyrate) that Man that shall sign his Articles without the Consent of our Company, shall suffer such Punishment as the Captain and Company shall think fit.

-That Man that shall strike another whilst these Articles are in force, shall receive Mose's Law (that is 40 stripes lacking one) on the bare Back.

-That Man that shall not keep his Arms clean, fit for an Engagement, or neglect his Business, shall be cut off from his Share, and suffer such other Punishment as the Captain and the Company shall think fit.

-If any Man shall lose a Joint in time of an Engagement he shall have 400 pieces of Eight; if a limb 800.

-If at any time you meet with a prudent Woman, that Man that offers to meddle with her, without her Consent, shall suffer present Death.

See? Even pirates have morals. They all pull their weight in work and uphold the ship's law - or be killed or whipped for it. And, more importantly, they work together. They may be working together to steal goods, sure, but many hold loyalty to their ship and captain.

And now I'll tell you about Anne Bonny. She was said to have thrashed a man for making unwanted advances toward her, and he was confined to his bed for weeks from his injuries. This was in a time period where women were considered objects. She wore men's clothes and fought among them until she bore a child with another seafarer. Mary Read is also a famous female pirate whose life was even more adventurous than Anne's. These women shunned the society that looked down upon them and became as fierce as men. But neither of them are as fierce or as loyal or as adventurous as Jacky Faber from Bloody Jack.

Despite the constant threat of a noose, pirates are pirates. They all love the sea more than the risk to their life. And, maybe, the wealth has a little persuasion too. After all, they're pirates.

Bloody Jack Week

Buffy Week has come to an end. I hope you all enjoyed it! I think I'm ready for a Buffy marathon now, how 'bout you? We're moving from vampires to pirates for a Bloody Jack Week, 6/14 - 6/19.

If you don't know what Bloody Jack's all about, I'm here to convince you to read it. Throughout the week, I'll be talking about the society, the characters, the history, and the pirates.

Bloody Jack is a series by L.A. Meyer that's very, very dear to my heart. The main protagonist, Mary, is an orphan who grew up on the streets of London and headed to become a ship's boy (after cutting her hair off and disguising herself in boy's clothes) for food and shelter. But it's hard to keep such a monumental secret among a ship full of men, especially when Jacky starts falling for one of the other ship's boys. What follows is an epic tale of adventure and romance that hasn't left my heart since page one.

There are currently seven novels printed and more on the way. In order, they are:

Bloody Jack

Curse of the Blue Tattoo

Under the Jolly Roger

In the Belly of the Bloodhound

Mississippi Jack

My Bonny Light Horseman

Rapture of the Deep

I've never read a series more endearing - I hadn't expected a book so full of adventure and humor when I'd first picked up Bloody Jack, but I'm very glad I did. It's grown to be one of my all-time favorite series and I'd love to share it with you. If you haven't been introduced to Mary "Jacky" Faber and her gang, pick up this series. You really won't be sorry. You'll find out why this week.

Giles - Buffy Week

Buffy Week wouldn't be complete without mentioning Giles. He was like a father to Buffy - he taught her, guided her, and watched her grow. I could spend hours describing my love for Giles the librarian, but I'll let him take over...

"I'll just jump into my time machine, go back to the 12th century, and ask the vampires to postpone their ancient prophecy for a few days while you take in dinner and a movie! "

"Testosterone is a great equalizer. It turns all men into morons."

"Giles: Here comes Buffy. Now remember, discretion is the better part of valor. Xander: You could've just said "shh!" God, are all you Brits such drama queens?

"W-w-w-what I'm proposing is, um... and I-I don't mean to appear indecorous, is-is, um, a-a-a-a social engagement, um, a-a-a-a-a date. If you're amenable. "

"I don't really know what to say. Um, I understand that this sort of thing requires ice cream of some kind"

"No vampires. Bunch of school kids in heavy mascara listening to extremely silly music."

"He's lying. Hit him! You're my Slayer, go knock his teeth down his throat!"

"We have to find Buffy. Something terrible has happened. Just kidding, thought I'd give you a scare. Are those finger sandwiches? "

Oz - Buffy Week

Susan from Wastepaper Prose is here to blog for us today about her favorite Buffy character. There's no way you can't love this guy. Tell us why, Susan...

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When you think Buffy the Vampire Slayer you think butt-kickin’ chicks and sexy man candy, right? Specifically, sexy undead man candy.

There’s Angel tall, dark and broody. Riley, the all-American protector. Spike, the unapologetic bad boy. A hot guy for all seasons, and that’s all they were to me.

Sure, we had some steamy moments, but it wasn’t meant to last. We didn’t have anything in common. The truth is that only one Buffy guy ever held my attention. Daniel “Oz” Osbourne.

I’ve never been into shorter guys, but for Oz I was willing to make an exception. He has wit and sarcasm to spare. If that’s not enough, he’s in a band called Dingoes Ate My Baby. (Daddy told me never to date a musician, but I just can’t help myself.)

I didn’t fall for his looks or even his music. True to my writerly nature, I fell for his words. Statements that take me off guard, like this one, are why I love Oz.

“The monkey's the only cookie animal that gets to wear clothes, you know that? You have the sweetest smile I've ever seen. So, I'm wondering, do the other cookie animals feel sorta ripped? Like, is the hippo going, 'Hey, man, where are *my* pants? I have my hippo dignity!' And you know the monkey's just, (with a French accent) 'I mock you with my monkey pants!' And there's a big coup in the zoo.” - Oz, What’s My Line Pt. 2

He won me over with his dry, sardonic humor and his ironic outlook on life. I was smitten from the moment he appeared in Season 2 and I’ve never looked back. It was a whirlwind love affair.

Okay, the relationship has obstacles. I’m aware that there’s potential for broken hearts. After all, I’m real. He’s fictional. Then there’s the lunar complex. Three nights a month he goes furry, his temper gets out of hand and I have to carry a tranq gun. It’s extreme, but I’m willing to do what I have to do.

I mean, who doesn’t want to shoot their boyfriend occasionally? (Non-lethal, of course.) It’s cheaper than couple’s therapy.

Buffy Summers - Buffy Week

Buffy is, obviously, the star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. One of my favorite scenes is when she starts doing carpenter work for Xander. She heads over to pick up a big chunk of wood and a bunch of the carpenter guys laugh and make comments. Something like: "Woah, careful sweetheart. Those are heavy." And she just picks them up and walks away like she's picking up a bag of chips. That scene pretty much narrowed down who and what Buffy is: strong.

Jenny from Wondrous Reads is here to guest blog about why SHE loves Buffy. Please, if you're a BTVS lover, join in the fun and tell us why you like Buffy and what your favorite scene is.

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Why I Love Buffy Summers (Jenny from Wondrous Reads)

Into every generation a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the strength and skill to fight the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers.

Buffy. Summers. What do those two words mean to you? To me, they mean the greatest female heroine ever to grace a TV screen, and the best show ever thought of. You can probably already tell where this is going, so I'll stop with the declarations of undying love before I bore you all further.

Buffy Summers is the woman I've looked up to for all of my teenage and adult life. I was introduced to her when I was 11, and have never looked back. She's amazing. She's strong, loyal, loving, intelligent, sensitive... everything you could ever want in a friend, daughter, sister and slayer. She's helped me through some tough times, and for that I thank her (and Joss, of course).

Buffy had some awesome ass-kicking moments, not to mention snarky dialogue and a snappy dress sense. She bravely fought everything the hellmouth threw at her, while successfully balancing school and real life at the same time. She suffered through heartbreaking break-ups, the loss of loved ones, even her own untimely death; and emerged on the other side that much stronger. Nothing could stop the force that was Buffy Summers, and for that she will go down in history.

If I could be anyone in the world, I'd be Buffy. I'd give anything to have her bravery and determination, though perhaps I'd like a few less demons intent on seeing me buried six feet under.

Buffy, and Sarah Michelle Gellar, I salute you. You are still, and always will be, my hero.

Nice and Mean Blog Tour - Jessica Leader

Jessica Leader is stopping here on tour for her book Nice and Mean. I find it fitting that it would fall on Buffy Week. Read her top five nice and mean characters to find out why and then enter the contest!

Jessica Leader’s Top Five Nice and Mean Characters

I was so excited when The Page Flipper gave me this assignment to write about the top five nice and mean characters in books and movies. There’s nothing like thinking about a generous, loving character to put you in an “Awww, the world is a good place” kind of mood, and there’s nothing like thinking about a one-liner queen to fill your veins with adrenaline. Thanks, Page Flipper! [And readers, if you want to nominate your favorite nice or mean character, come on over to Jessica’s blog (www.jessicaleader.com/blog) You can earn points for her giveaway by having your say!]

Top Five Nice Characters, In No Particular Order

1. Torrance, from Bring it On

Torrance: head cheerleader, super-cute, hot older boyfriend (though he turns out to be a jerk)—could be a mean girl if she wanted to, but isn’t. Torrance has a conscience, and when injustice corrupts the cheer competition, she’ll do whatever she can to make things right. Go, Torrance! Go, Torrance! Go, go, go, Torrance!

2. Meaghan from The Boyfriend List series by E. Lockhart

Let’s be honest—there’s not much about The Boyfriend List, E. Lockhart’s novels friendship, scamming, and love, that I wouldn’t put on a Top Five list. (Ruby, the heroine, would get a kick out of this—she’s forever making lists.) But Meaghan is a fun addition because of how Ruby learns to appreciate her.

At the beginning of the four-book series, Ruby takes Meaghan for granted as the literal Girl Next Door drives who her to school every day with pop songs and Starbucks. Ruby also finds Meaghan clueless in more ways than one and so doesn’t count her as an important friend. As the series progresses, though, Ruby comes to see that while Meaghan doesn’t really get irony, she does get Ruby in some essential ways. Ruby also realizes that someone who is there for you every day is better than someone who is allegedly cool but blows you off for a basketball game or fails to appreciate your cupcakes.

3. Fraulein Maria, The Sound of Music (Does she have a last name? Von Trapp, eventually, but I think she’s much more interesting when she’s a last-nameless nun.)

The hills are alive when Fraulein Maria brings songs, feelings, and puppet shows about goats to some loved-deprived Austrian children. Who didn’t want to polka in public after Fraulein Maria’s Do-Re-Mi? Clearly not these 200 Belgians, whose flash-mob performance in the middle of a train station puts “Glee” a little bit to shame.

4. Frog, from the Frog and Toad books, by Arnold Lobel

When I was a kid, I would have said that I liked the Frog and Toad books because I could read them (they are, after all, ICanRead books.) But when I returned to the books as a teacher, I realized that Toad is depressed and neurotic, and Frog always knows just how to charm him back to life. When we spill our ice cream on the great sidewalk of life, we all need someone to say, “Never mind. I know what we can do,” and then buy two more cones.

5. The Convict in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

If you’ve read the book, you know why. If you haven’t, I’ve already said too much. Read the book. It’s great. No pun intended.

Top Five Mean Characters

1. Cordelia, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Cordelia: pretty much wholly snobbish and just does not care. She actually becomes more nuanced in the spin-off, Angel, but on Buffy, she was the source of pure self-centered delight. Even when helping to save the world, she rarely showed compassion.

Classic Cordelia: in “Earshot,” when Buffy can hear peoples’ thoughts, the Scooby Gang gathers in the library to brainstorm solutions (one, two, three—sigh at the hotness of Giles.) Everybody is thinking embarrassing thoughts that they try to cover up by babbling, but Cordelia thinks, “I don’t see what this has to do with me,”and then she comes out and says, “I don’t see what this has to do with me.” No filter. No self-consciousness. Refreshing!

2. Severus Snape (from the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling, in case you live under a rock)

Yeah yeah, Snape is noble and sacrificing. We’d seen that coming. Much more enjoyable was the time before this was revealed, where he laid wizards’ egos to waste with effortless one-liners.

Sample quote : “Oh, very good....Yes, it is easy to see that nearly six years of magical education have not been wasted on you, Potter. 'Ghosts are transparent.'"

Personally, if Snape had been my teacher, I would have kept a list of these in the back of a notebook. I mean, how annoying would it be to share a class with Hermione? You’d definitely need a little comic relief. Of course, there was the minor problem of Snape’s favoring Malfoy and the Slytherins, but maybe I’d have been a Ravenclaw, so I’d have had Potions with the Hufflepuffs… Okay, I clearly know a little too much about Hogwarts. I’m going to move on now to #3.

3. Massie Block, The Clique and its offspring, by Lisi Harrison

Another character who, like Cordelia, doesn’t have much of a filter and will stop at nothing to get her way, aka The Only Way. In my favorite chapter, she apologizes to an adult she’s wronged, and you think, “Really? Massie feels bad?” But then you realize she’s just faking it to steal the purple hair-dye that acts as a VIP pass (don’t ask.) Massie is shallow, controlling, obsessed with shopping and a bad friend, but for some reason, I can’t seem to pass up a Clique novel in an airport bookstore. She cracks me up every time.

4. Tyra Banks, from America’s Next Top Model and The Tyra Banks Show. Strictly speaking, not a fictional character, but she might as well be.

She may have done good things for dark-skinned girls’ self-confidence, and I’m sure she’s done her share of celebrity philanthropy (hello, she’s written A Guide to Owning Your Inner Fierceness. If that’s not generosity, I don’t know what is.) But what cracks me up about Tyra is that while she acts nice, I think that at heart she is a raging control freak and occasional bully. She actually is fierce, and it’s kind of scary.

Remember that time during the final two, before Tyra could deliver her judgment, one of the girls spoke up and said, “Actually, Tyra, I want to go home?” Tyra was pi-issed. She whipped out the winning photo with an extra flourish and snarled something to the effect of, “Ha ha, we didn’t even choose you. We rejected you before you rejected us.”

So, um, why do I like her, exactly? Maybe it’s the middle-school trouble-maker in me, but I get a kick out of seeing authority figures knocked off their game. Especially when they try as hard as Tyra does to conceal their inner lunacy!

5. House, M.D. from the TV show called…you know…House, M. D.

Dr. House could give a crap about his patients. He pretty much just uses them as a chance to solve problems—one of his many addictions. The few friends he has, he exploits, badgers, bullies, and tricks. Hardly any of the episodes reveal that he secretly has a heart of gold; if anything, they just show him to be obsessed with Vicodin, unavailable women, and being right.

Why the heck is this guy on my top-10 list? Especially when so many of his zingers are so sexist, racist, homophobic, or ageist that I don’t even want to reprint them? First of all, his zingers are funny; here’s a random clean one. “Who's here for a runny nose? (After a couple of people raise their hands) It's a cold! It will get better. Go home!” I would also add that his prejudiced humor is more making fun of others’ prejudiced attitudes than displaying his own (he’s an equal-opportunity hater.) Lastly, there’s just something so pathetic about House that I have to feel for him a little. Mainly, though, it’s those awesome one-liners.

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As you can see, boys and girls, nice and mean people are fun. And that’s who you’ll see on display in Nice and Mean, about two such girls forced to work together on a high-profile video project. Here’s a quick taste of what you’ll see in the book:

Sachi Parikh, Resident Nice Girl, Sample Line:
“Listen.” Tessa sighed. “I lost that pencil you lent me.”
“Oh!” I felt bad that she felt bad. “That’s okay.”
“Are you sure?” Her dark skin wrinkled in worry. “It was one of those nice mechanical ones.”
I tried to smile, but all I could think was Video, Video, Video.

Marina Glass, Class Mean Girl, Sample line:
“I had no desire to join the Grease cult. My friends had already started quoting the songs so often that I’d had to tell them, ‘Hold the cheese. This is not Burger King.’”

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For one week only, you can win prizes!

One pick from the box o' books (pictured) AND Nice and Mean related swag, including:

* signed N&M bookmarks
Swag of Nice Girl Sachi:
* Indian bangle bracelets (not as special as Nani's ring, but still important)
* Indian coconut candies (these are so good--you're lucky Jess didn't eat all of them)
Swag of Mean Marina:
* Dr. Pepper lip gloss (Dr. Pepper: the only drink)
* Pilot Rolling Ball pens (PRBs: the only pen)
* stick-on rhinestones (Yuck! Marina wishes you wouldn't mention these. The mess with Rachel is their fault!)

Who are some of your favorite nice and mean characters? Comment below for your chance to win. Please leave an email address or website where I can contact you. Contest ends next week!

Don’t forget to head over to Jessica Leader’s blog to enter the Nice and Mean Grand Prize Giveaway—aka, all this swag plus a copy of the book. Learn how to earn points by spreading the word, or win the battle of wits, where you get others to vote for your favorite nice or mean character in books, tv and movies.

Buffy Week: Drusilla

I love crazy people.

And no one's more crazy or creepy or delusional or fun than Drusilla, the psychotic psychic vampire who came into Sunnydale with Spike in Season 2.

"I met an old man. Didn't like him. He got stuck in my teeth."

She literally has no qualms about killing people (or dogs) and thinks she can see the sky when a ceiling is in front of her face. She keeps dolls as pets and talks to/feeds them like children.

What's not to love?

"We're going to destroy the world. Want to come?"

And besides the fact that she's psycho, she has history with both of our two favorite vamps. Angel was the one to turn her (after brutally murdering her entire family and turning her mentally insane) and Spike wooed her with his Slayer-slaying skills.

"Bite your tongue! They used to eat cake, and eggs, and honey, until you came and ripped their throats out."

This was the only full-fledged villain on Buffy that I actually liked. She was evil, but she still had a kind of crazy charm about her. It takes a lot to make a mad people-eating vampire likable, but I'd totally hang out with Dru if I wasn't edible.

My favorite scene? When Angelus gives her a human heart as a Valentine's gift and she claps like a spoiled toddler getting a tiara.

"What will your mommy sing when they find your body?"

Man, I love crazy people.

Buffy Week - Angel vs. Spike

Buffy Week will be filled with posts about the thing that makes the show: the characters. Today, we have a guest post from author Julie Kagawa (The Iron King), who answers a few questions about the two vampires we all love most.

If you haven't seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you might want to skip this one. Major spoiler alert. For the whole post. Regular programming (books!) will be back next week, but I'll probably shun you until you watch it anyway.

I'll let Julie take over...(But FYI, Team Spike)

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I adore the Buffy series. Love it. I don’t think there is another series that could make me laugh, cry, scream, giggle hysterically, or drive me crazy like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Of course, for me, the characters made the show. And two of my favorite characters were the two awesome, testosterone-filled vampires in Buffy’s life: Angel and Spike.

So, who is the best vampire?

Well, let’s examine the questions and answers below. A reminder, these are only my opinions. With such a volatile subject as this, I’m sure there will be many who violently disagree with me. And that’s cool. I’m certainly not the guru of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But please refrain from breaking out the torches and pitchforks. ;)

Who is more bad-ass?

Tough question. I think it depends on where they are in the series. For instance, in season 5, when Spike was captured and had that chip stuck in his head, he was pretty much a pansy through the whole season. Both vamps have their bad-ass moments, but I think I have to give it to Angel. Yes, Spike is a great fighter and could give Angel a run for his money, but Angel doesn’t need to show off his bad-assiness; he just is. The only exception to this is when Angel becomes Angelus. There is no bigger bad-ass in Buffy history then when Angelus comes sauntering in. Now that is one scary vampire. Gives me shivers.

Who is nobler?

Spike, hands down. Does that surprise you? Let me explain. Angel may have that tortured, seeking redemption thing down pat, but his soul was forced on him because of the curse. He had no choice but to become moral. Spike, on the other hand, went looking for his soul and fought to get it back. He showed genuine remorse even before he found his soul. He truly comes to love Buffy, and in the end, it’s Spike, not Angel, who does the Ultimate Noble Sacrifice thing, giving his own life to save everyone. There is nothing nobler then that.

Who is the better fighter?

It might be a contradiction, considering the first question, but I think Spike is the better fighter, simply because he enjoys it. He’s the one I’d rather have guarding my back, because he isn’t at all hesitant about hurting people, whereas Angel might balk at hitting a girl, ect. While Angel fights because he has to, Spike joyfully flings himself into a fray, making him the better fighter.

Who is more evil?

This one goes to Angel. Or, more accurately, Angelus. Yes, when evil Spike blows into town, its bad news, but when Angelus makes an appearance, people die. Who can forget that scene with Giles girlfriend? (I forgot her name, bad Buffy fan!) Spike will beat you up and bite you and maybe kill you, but Angelus tortures people, mentally as well as physically, and he enjoys it. A true sadist, which is why the title of Most Evil Buffy Vampire goes to Angelus.

Who is sexier?

Another tough question. And one that can’t really be answered. Both boys are sexy in different ways. The dark, tortured, brooding Angel, and Spike with his smart-ass, bad boy persona. Spike can sing, and Angel looks amazing without a shirt. I think personal preference wins this one. And personally, I’d take them both. ;)

Who has the best moment?

They both have so many awesome moments. Spike singing (my favorite episode!), Angel turning evil, but for me, I think Spike’s final moment in the last season will forever stand out in my mind. His last words: “I get to see the end,” made me sob, and completed his awesome, touching character arc. (Though I will say, I was delighted to see him return in Angel.)

So who is the best vampire?

I don’t think there’s an answer to this. This is one of those questions that will have fans splitting into Team Angel and Team Spike (Ahhhh, more teams!). So I will simply leave you to answer/debate this on your own. Who do YOU think is the best vampire? (I have my favorite, but I’m not saying. :P )

Welcome to Sunnydale

Welcome to Sunnydale, population 38,500 32,900.

Sunnydale High is a perfect place for students, set in a beach town with lovely scenery and sunny people. With over 40 churches in the surrounding area, all religions are accepted and welcomed. Twelve beautiful gothic cemetaries create some ambiance and parks abound the city. A small private college is also on the map, for all those high school students who just can't leave Sunnydale! We even have our own military base!

If you're looking for a little fun, there are plenty of things to do. The Bronze has live music every weekend and delicious food (blooming onions!) for those of you with an...appetite. A museum boasting ancient artifacts and mummified remains is a pride among town historians.

Our newspaper, the Sunnydale Press, will keep you fully updated about the events in town. There's never a lack of excitement here in these sunny acres.

So I, Mayor Wilkins, am proud to welcome you to Sunnydale. Come on in and stay a while! You'll probably end up living here until you...die.

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Buffy Week, 6/7 - 6/13

Buffy Week...

Sorry for the delay on Buffy Week! My appendix ruptured on Tuesday and I had to go through surgery and people poking me. My luck is nothing Irish. I'm planning on starting Buffy Week on Sunday Monday, as I just got out of the hospital, and pushing everything else back a week.

But, in the meantime, I'll give you this:

June Prize Pack

I've mentioned recently how awesome June's going to be. If you missed it, here: June is going to be awesome. We've got four weeks dedicated to four of my favorite things: Buffy, Bloody Jack, Labyrinth, and Coffee.

So I'm starting the month with a contest. Last month, I had $40 in books of the winner's pickings, and the winner is Vicki Wooley, who I've emailed. Congrats!

The reason I've transferred to virtual shipping is because I was/am very slow and forgetful about going to the post office. People around me jokingly call this disease "Chelsea Time." For instance, if I say I'm going to be at my best friend's house at a certain time, she automatically adds thirty to sixty minutes onto that time. And when I have to go to work, etc, I pretend I have to be there half an hour early. And when I say I'm shipping something this week, I generally mean in two weeks. It's horrible. So I'll let Amazon and B&N deal with the whole shipping thing. This month is a little different (since it's June and awesome), but in July I'm going back to the $40-book-picking idea, since I got some good feedback on it.

Anyway. I'll shut up. This month, this is what I'm giving away:

-A Buffy T-shirt (comes in various sizes, since I'm ordering online.)
-One or more of the Bloody Jack books (if you have 'em all, I'll preorder the next one!)
-The Labyrinth movie OR soundtrack
-A $10 Starbucks gift card

Like I said, June's going to be awesome.

To enter, fill out this form. I'll notify you in July if you're the lucky winner! Come back tomorrow for the first Buffy post!