Lara Zielin

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: I heart Jezebel for posting this translation of the Eclipse trailer. Not surprisingly, it’s so much more interesting than the actual movie!

The highlights of my life lately are epic. EPIC, I tell you. Each and every day has something new and special in it! *farts a rainbow*. Let me tell you ALL about it.

• I am training for a half marathon. That’s 13.1 miles in case you were wondering. Two days a week I get my buttsickle out of bed at 4:30 (A.M.!) to run 3 miles, then spin for 50 minutes. It’s called crosstraining or some crap. On the weekends, I do my long runs. It has made me a veeery interesting person. *coughs*
• I have read some books! I have read Shanghai Girls by Lisa See and Flirting with Disaster by Rhonda Stapleton. I have also read a book called Promgate many, many, many times. I am slated to read it again in two weeks. After that, I plan to never read it again, but I hope that many of you will.
• I work. Every day. My job is super cool. It also is exceptionally effective at eating up all the time between 9 and 5 each day.
• I am on Weight Watchers. Every time I put something in my mouth, I have to count how many “points” (i.e. calories, fat, and fiber) it has in it. This, too, has made me exceptionally interesting. Especially at parties. People LOVE hearing about how I am going to forgo the mini cheesecakes they took the time to bake. They can’t wait to have me back.
• I play Scrabble on my iPhone. I comment on people’s blogs sometimes. I update Facebook.

I know this has made you all want to run out and read everything I’ve ever written (or will write) because clearly I am a superglamorous author. I can’t wait to tell you about grocery shopping. Next post! Until then, hang on to your butts.

xox

So, if you guys aren’t reading Saundra Mitchell, you should be. Girlfriend wrote one of my *fave* books of 2009, SHADOWED SUMMER. Also, I just love her and it’s awesome when nice people write fab books.

Saundra’s second book, THE VESPERTINE, is coming out in spring 2011 and I can’t freaking wait. It’s going to launch around the same time as PROMGATE, which means I might be stalking her until she does a book tour with me. Don’t think I’m not serious.

Here is a wonderful, short little vid that has me salivating in anticipation of her novel. Can it be 2011 already? Puh-leeeeze?

So excited for you, Saundra!

If any of you have read Donald Maass‘ book, WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL, then you know that this man is a genius. Apparently, he also has a cult following of people called the Maassketeers, who go door-to-door bringing writers the Good News that will save their books. Don’t believe me? Check it out:

Maassketeers, next time you show up, I’m getting the hose ready! Consider yourself warned!

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND:  Awkward Family Photos has been around a long time now, but the site has grown into something pretty extraordinary. Get ready to LOL if you visit.

I haven’t posted much lately because I’ve been editing PROMGATE. My brain is fried. And so, because I have nothing else, I give you more pictures of me wearing Bumpits. Did you know their tagline is “from flat to fabulous”? I can think of something else that could have applied to when I was in junior high.

I love Bumpits!

See how much?

Do you have a Bumpit image too? Email me at new [dot] zielind [at] gmail [dot] com and I’ll share it!

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: Young me, now me. I have literally spent hours looking at this site. So. Addictive.

The awesome Kelly O’Connor McNees, whom you may know from such posts as the 826michigan blog challenge, had her book come out today! It’s a wonderful little tome called THE LOST SUMMER OF LOUISA MAY ALCOTT. I loved it, I’ve reviewed it on Goodreads, and I can’t say enough wonderful things about Kelly herself. But if you’re still not swayed, check out Kelly’s amazing book trailer below. I ask you — who could make a book trailer like this and still put out a bad book? It’s impossible, I tell you. Impossible!