~~~Lara Zielin~~~

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: I suppose I was the only one until recently who hadn’t seen the crazy viral double rainbow vid, but have you see the double rainbow remix? I have. Thanks to Lauren!

I love Goodreads. Every time I read a book, I’m excited to list it on my shelf and see what other people are saying about it. And, yeah, it’s true — I like to see what people are saying about DONUT DAYS too.

For a while there, I was starring and reviewing everything I’d read. And then I started to think about my reviews not as a reader, but as a writer. If I were the author of said book and I read my review, how would I feel? If I were the author of said book and I saw it had been given three stars out of five, what would I think? (And let me tell you, when I see three-star reviews of DONUT DAYS, my heart does sink a little. I know it’s not supposed to. Thick skin and all that. But it does. Because I want so much for everyone to love it.)

Anyway. As a writer, I really can’t be a reviewer. The biggest factor in this is because I now understand that even the worst of books still represent loads of hard work by the author. And if it was in their heart to get it that far, to a place where I actually held it in my hands, I can’t front on that. I can throw Twilight across the room, but I can’t diss Meyer for putting words to what was in her imagination. (Or what was in her bedroom, watching her sleep. *shudders*)

Also, the writing community is small. About the time I go around saying I couldn’t stand a certain book, I’m going to  meet that writer at a conference and have to shake their hand and want the floor to open up and swallow me whole.

So, these days I mark the book as read, and I leave it at that. I do sort of miss putting my opinion out there, but as a published author, my job duties have changed. It’s no longer my role to critique as a reader and say what’s good. It’s now my responsibility to champion books and authors writ large — because as a whole they’re awesome — and cheerlead everything on the shelves.

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: This “documentary” about Saved by the Bell’s Rod Belding. I watched it in its entirety, twice, because I loved it so.

After breezing through THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO and really enjoying it, I was excited to pick up THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE.

But only a few pages in, something wasn’t sitting right with me. I put the book down and tried explaining my discontent to Rob. But all I could vent about was the fact that the author had given the heroine, Lisbeth Salander, a boob job.

Then I read Entertainment Weekly columnist Missy Schwartz’s take on the novel in the June 25 issue, and a lightbulb went off. Larsson (the author), she says, was supposed to be a feminist, but Schwartz herself has a “hard time reconciling  his ostensibly feminist agenda with all the male fantasy coursing through the books.” I concur! The protagonist, Mikael Blomkvist, is a turn-on for every woman on every page. Puke. Whatever. And even though Schwartz doesn’t say this, I took issue with how every woman in the books was portrayed as not only hot and heavy for Blomkvist, but also as having some kind of alternative sex life. From multiple partners to  promiscuity to playing for both teams, no woman was ever just content being in a single, satisfying relationship.

Oh, wait. Maybe one was. But she was murdered.

What’s more, the violence committed against women in the books is atrocious. Schwartz says that while you can argue that’s the point — “bring it out into the open, try to prevent it from happening again” — she’s unsettled by exploiting it for storytelling purposes. Yes again. I concur.

But the point I really got behind was Schwartz’s take on Larsson’s treatment of Lisbeth herself. She gets a boob job and we’re told the quality of her life improves. She never “accepts her imperfections.” And therein lies the rub. We are none of us perfect. Unfortunately, like Heidi Montag, Lisbeth winds up thinking that altering her imperfections will bring her satisfaction.

But that’s just not true. And as a result, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE is laying on my floor, half read, and I’ll never finish it.

While the Nerds Heart YA competition is still going strong, I’m sorry to say that DONUT DAYS was knocked out of the second round by the novel IN MIKE WE TRUST. Which, actually sounds like a wonderful book and, in the Nerds Heart YA spirit of encouraging people to read underrepresented books, I suggest we all go out and buy it. (And many thanks to the wonderful Book Nut, Melissa, who took the time to read both novels!).

Go IN MIKE WE TRUST! I hope you win the whole thing. And that the prize is a pony.

Anyway, this all means that my little Nerds Heart YA contest is now officially closed, and we have a winner. Congratulations to Michelle M. who has won a signed copy of DONUT DAYS and a $15 Barnes and Noble gift card! Hooray and huzzah! I’ll email you to get the deets about where to send.

And thanks, everyone, for playing and supporting books! Yay!

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: There is a lot about this AT&T commercial that’s magical and makes for jaw-dropping video work. Not necessarily the best commercial (what are they selling here, exactly?) but it’s eye candy in spades.

I can’t believe it. The awesome, amazing, and totally talented Lauren Myracle will be blurbing Promgate! You may know Lauren from such books as:

TTYL

Kissing Kate

L8r, G8r

Peace, Love and Baby Ducks

Luv Ya Bunches

…and so many more! Lauren and I met at the Midwest Bookseller’s Association and were instantly BFFs. Or, at least that’s how it is when I replay it in my head. Which happens a lot, I’m not gonna lie.

Lauren is my total author crush and I’m so honored she’ll be part of Promgate.

Oh, did I mention Promgate has a release date? It does! March 3, 2011. Mark you calendars, peeps! Squee!

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: 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!

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: A failed book banning from Wisconsin. And it’s not even anything crazy — just Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Despite the cheese, my home state can really make me mad sometimes. But thank goodness this story has a happy ending.

So, remember how I said all us writer folk need each other? Well, to underscore that just a bit more, I’d like to announce the wonderful, fabulous and hilarious Rhonda Stapleton will be road tripping to Ohio (glamorous Ohio!) with me in March for a writers’ retreat.

Because sometimes, when your creative juices aren’t flowing, all it takes is getting in the same room with a like-minded writer and daring the muses to come find you both. But the best part about this trip? I mean, obviously it’s being with Rhonda, but other than that is the fact the place where we’re staying … has its own railroad.

Its own railroad!!! Look!

I even asked them if the train would be up and running when we went there and they said yes. OMG, OMG, OMG. So. Excited.

In May, I am also going on a writers’ retreat with my awesome writer-lady friend Ellen Baker. We do more of a subdued Northwoods thing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. But man, are we productive.

So whether you have trains or woods, the point is to partner with people who can help you through the creative process. Writers rock! And we all need each other so we can rock harder. So our books can go to 11, as it were.

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: If your Bluggie is just too flashy for Valentine’s Day, then please let me recommend the Hoodie-Footie. This genius product combines your three favorite things — your fave sweatshirt, your fave blanket, and your fave slippers — and uses the magic of marshmallow-soft fleece to fold them into one.

I have talked a little about how lucky I am to be part of the 2009 Debutantes, a group of writers who all had their debut novels come out in 2009, and who banded together online to support each other. Well, one of the practices of the Debs is that we all mail ARCs of our books to each other, and then we read them and leave comments on the pages and stuff.

I just got back the ARC of DONUT DAYS and, people, I have to say, it totally made me cry! The support and comments were awesome, and it truly made me realize how fortunate I am to belong to a group like this. I mean, look — the whole inside cover is packed with notes!

And the back cover as well!

And even the inside is riddled with little notes where people liked the writing!

Writers, we need each other. If you are trying to do this whole publishing thing solo, let me tell you — it’s way more fun to do it in a group!

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: Another exciting episode of “Guy From Nickelback, Private Eye.”

Recently, I had the great honor of being asked to interview Cynthia Leitich Smith for a freelance story. She proved to be a force of nature — as a writer, a professor, a community-builder in the literary world, and more. If you haven’t checked out her books TANTALIZE or ETERNAL, you totally should. Amazing stuff.

Of course, Cynthia being Cynthia, she turned the tables during our talk and started interviewing me. You see, this is why I love her. She’s genuinely interested in people — and especially writers.

Anyway, girlfriend was gracious enough to host me on her blog and put our interview out there for all to see. She also gives “Editing Letter” a shout-out, which is so awesome. Stop by and read the interview if you have the chance but, if not, no worries — go to the bookstore instead and get TANTALIZE or ETERNAL.