MAILBOX MONDAY...ON TUESDAY!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page.  This wonderful meme is currently on a monthly tour of blogs and this month is being hosted by Bermudaonion's Weblog.

(click on titles for book descriptions from Goodreads)

In the mail:

Nothing this week  =O(

Bought:

From Dollar Tree--$1 each!

The Verneys: A True Story of Love, War, and Madness in 17th Century England--Adrian Tinniswood

Smithsonian Goes Wild--Amy Pastan & Linda McKnight

From Goodwill--half price, no book more than $1.50!

The Margaret-Ghost--Barbara Novak

The Warrior Prophet--R. Scott Bakker

Emotionally Weird--Kate Atkinson

Tunneling--Beth Bosworth

Starvation Heights: A True Story of Murder and Malice in the Woods of the Pacific Northwest--Gregg Olsen

DEWEY'S 24 HOUR READ-A-THON...NEW BUTTON

Of course, I'm signed up for Dewey's 24 Hour Read-A-Thon.  I think we've thoroughly established my read-a-thon addiction! The 24 hour read-a-thon is on Saturday, October 9th.  Here is a new button I created especially for it:

Feel free to use it on your blog.  Just link it back to the read-a-thon site here.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH ANASTASIA HOPCUS

I would like to thank Anastasia Hopcus, author of Shadow Hills, for stopping by today and answering a few questions.

Hi, I'm happy to be here. Thanks for inviting me.

1. I saw on your blog that the old cemeteries from the 1700s in Massachusets intrigued you.  Was that one of your inspirations for Shadow Hills?  Did the atmosphere of witch persecution in that area in the late 17th, early 18th centuries also inspire you?

Yes, Massachusetts certainly has the atmosphere I wanted for my book. Although my book doesn't involve the witch trials of the Salem area, that history does affect some of the events in Shadow Hills' past---and it also serves to add to the eerie aura of the town. I knew that a cemetery was going to be important to my story, and when I was considering Massachusetts as the setting, I looked at pictures of their cemeteries, and I was positive that it was the right place. The cemeteries are even more fascinating in person. I had never before seen tombstones with the symbols on them that some of the really old gravestones had.

2.  I was reading on your blog that you used to want to be John Hughes.  Which of his movies is your favorite?

Weird Science. In middle school, my friends and I went around quoting it all the time. Second favorite is probably Ferris Buehler's Day Off.

3.  According to your blog, you were inspired to start writing novels in your late teens/early twenties.  Were there any novels that were particularly inspiring to you?

My favorite YA book was Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas. I also loved Francesca Lia Block's Weetzie Bat series. But when I first started writing, I was more into reading mysteries. Anne George, who wrote the Southern Sisters mysteries, was my favorite. I really love her writing, especially because she wrote very memorable and likeable characters. I always think of her books as my mental 'comfort' food; reading one of her books is like sitting down with old friends. I would love to have that sort of effect on my readers.

4.  I see that you're a karaoke enthusiast...me too! What is your favorite song to sing at karaoke?

We love to do Sing Star at parties at our house. (Not so stage fright-inducing as getting up in front ofstrangers at a bar!) I really enjoy "What's Love Got to Do With It" by Tina Turner, but another one I love and usually get my best score on is the Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen in Love?"

5.  When you finish writing the Shadow Hills series, will you continue to write YA fiction or will you try your hand at an adult novel?

I'm definitely going to continue in YA fiction. I wouldn't rule out writing an adult novel someday, but I really enjoy writing for teens. I think that time is such an important one in everyone's life; we all remember our high school years, whether they were good or bad. There's so much conflict and emotion and so many issues that people deal with during that period---it gives you a lot to work with as an author.

Thanks again, Anastasia, for stopping by! I look forward to the continuation of the Shadow Hills series.

Bye! It's been great!

Shadow Hills was released in July 2010.  You can read my review of the book here.  Want to learn more about Anastasia?  Visit her website, her blog, or visit the next stop on the tour over at The Story Siren, on September 6th.

SIGN UP FOR THE FALL CATCH-UP READ-A-THON

Time to sign up for the Fall Catch-Up Read-A-Thon! You can do a post saying you're participating (and to help me get the word out) or just link your blog.  No need to make your reading list yet, unless you want to! I'll also be posting a starting line linky on the start day of the read-a-thon.  If you would rather wait until then to post your reading list, that is also fine.  I'm flexible!

• The official start date and time is Monday, September 20 at 8am CT, but you do not have to start on time and you can adjust it according to your time zone.  The end date is Sunday, September 26 at 8pm CT (again, adjust accordingly). 
• Keep in mind that you do not have to participate the entire week or 24 hours a day.  I made it a week long, during the week and the weekend, so that people that work different schedules can participate.  And don't forget...sleeping is allowed! Also, forgot to mention...you do not have to have a blog to participate.  Leave your sign up and reading list in the comments. 
• I am hosting a giveaway for everyone who signs up, then posts on the starting line on start day, and actually participates in the read-a-thon.  That's all you will have to do to be entered.  The prize will be a gift certificate to BetterWorldBooks, a book seller that donates all proceeds to literacy programs around the world.  Doing my bit for a good cause too! And they are awesome because they always have free shipping and they ship carbon free.  Not sure what the amount is going to be...that part will be a surprise! I've also decided to host a mini-challenge that will go on the entire week so people will have plenty of time to participate.  Not sure what the mini-challenge will be or what the prize will be for that yet.  I'm all about the surprises right now!
• Also, during the event, be sure to come chat with us on Twitter.  Just use hashtag #readathon  There may be some surprise giveaways on there as well.  Anyone who wants to do an impromptu giveaway during chats is more than welcome.
• If you are interested in doing a giveaway or mini-challenge for the read-a-thon, please email me at truebookaddict@gmail.com
• I will also be kicking off the first of my week long Banned Books Week posts on Saturday, September 25, which will only add more fun!

I think we are going to have a lot of fun! I hope you will sign-up and get ready to catch up on some reading!

HAPPY SEPTEMBER: NEWS AND BLOGOVERSARY GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Happy September everyone! We only have a couple more weeks until the first day of Fall.  I just wish the Tennessee weather would cooperate.  I can't wait for the cool, crisp Autumn days, especially after the sweltering summer we had!

I have some news and then I will announce the giveaway winners.  Patience, patience! =O)

My create-a-button contest entry for Brizmus Blogs Books' Japanese Friday, or Nihon no Kinyoubi, is currently tied for FIRST PLACE! Thanks to all who have voted for me so far.  Voting is open until Sunday, 9/5, so if you haven't already, please go here and vote in the poll on Brizmus's left sidebar.  Mine is #7.  Thanks...and wish me luck!

My weekly book chat on Twitter, TuesBookTalk, is still going strong.  I needed an easier way to get in touch with all the members so I created a group on Goodreads.  You can go here to visit (or join) or access it from the widget in the left sidebar.  We are going to start discussing Labyrinth by Kate Mosse on this Tuesday, 9/7...that is, if everyone can get the book.  If not, we will postpone by a week.  Our first discussion will be on Chapters 1-10.  Tuesday chat time is 10:30pm ET.  Coming up in October, we will be having Halloween Horror Month.  There is a poll up at the group so we can vote on our reading selection for that event.  Who doesn't love a spooky read during Halloween?!  I hope you will think about joining us, Dear readers.  If you can't make the Tuesday night chat, you can go to the group and post your thoughts in the discussion thread there.  Hope to see you!

I will have the sign up post and read-a-thon info up later today for my Fall Catch-Up Read-A-Thon.  I hope you will join us.  It will be a fun week! Also, Banned Books Week starts that Saturday of my read-a-thon so I will have daily posts up starting Saturday and throughout the week in honor of it.  Banned Books Week is September 25-October 2, 2010!                            

FIRST BLOGOVERSARY GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!!

First Place....Brooke--3 books

Second Place....JennJ--2 books

Third Place....Juju--1 book

(winners were chosen by random.org)

Brooke gets to choose first...3 books from the following:

Cardboard--Fiona Place

The Silent Governess--Julie Klassen

Fragile--Chris Katsaropoulos

Winter's End--Jean-Claude Mourlevat

206 Bones--Kathy Reichs

Hush--Kate White

Once Brooke picks her 3, I will email JennJ with the remaining choices, of which she gets to choose 2.  Then, Juju will get the book that is left.  Brooke, if you are seeing this post, you can go ahead and email me your 3 choices at truebookaddictATgmailDOTcom (don't worry...I'm still emailing you!)  Each winner will have 48 hours to get back to me with their choices from the time I send out their email.  Congrats!

Thanks for reading about all my news and thank you to everyone who wished me a happy blogoversary and entered the contest.

Have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY (2)

The question this week is: 

Even though it’s usually a mistake (grin) … do movies made out of books make you want to read the original?

When I see a movie, I always watch the beginning credits to see if it's based on a book.  Then I add it to my list and end up obtaining the book and reading it, especially if it was a movie I liked because...guess what?  The book is usually better! Well, duh!

Here are a few standouts where I watched the movie first and then read the book:

The Reckoning based on the novel Morality Play by Barry Unsworth                           

 Sense and Sensibility based on the novel by Jane Austen                             

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier                                             

The Reckoning was a good movie and the subject was very interesting to me...Medieval morality plays intertwined with a murder mystery.  When I saw that this movie was based on a book, I read it almost immediately.  Both the movie and the book were very good.  I reconcile this to the fact that the novel was very short and so was much easier to adapt into a movie.

I saw Sense and Sensibility back in 1995 and I fell in love with the story and Jane Austen.  Shamefully, this is how I was introduced to Jane.  This movie still remains one of my favorites.  However, I just read the book a couple of weeks ago and I have to say that I agree with what people have said about all the actors being too old for the ages that Jane wrote them.  That was a mild annoyance.  In all, I still love the movie, but the book was wonderful! 

I first saw Rebecca when I was a teen.  I have always loved old movies, going back as far as watching old Shirley Temple movies when I was little.  I think I read the book not too long after seeing the film.  My mom really encouraged me to read it and while the film was good and very well acted, there is just no comparison to the book.

So...what about you?  Do you seek out the book if you find out a movie is based on one?

                                                                   

CAT THURSDAY

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! (Join us...share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

Here is another of my LOLZ, caption created by me! Click here to go and vote for it. =O)  Enjoy!