My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My sister asked me to read this book, insisting that it wasn’t what I would expect. Well, my sister was right! I took one look at this book, and wrote it off as boring chick lit. Instead I found myself quickly drawn into the story. This book, which is actually part of a series, tells the tale of two best friends who despite being complete opposites regard each other like sisters. This book is one of the surprise books of the year for me! The characters were written well so I actually could see them corresponding to people in my own life. The plot progressed at a nice clip so it didn’t drag out unnecessarily. Best of all, the story left me wanting more, so I am ready to read the rest of the series, which reflect the other characters point of view. If you are looking for a quick, easy and fun book, I suggest this one for your next vacation pick!

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When I became unemployed last year a friend of mine told me about the volunteer program she was a part of NY Cares. It sounded like a great organization so I joined and even got to work with my friend at a program that taught little kiddies basic yoga moves. I had a blast! This past spring I found another program called the Young Authors program. This program combines young people with a passion or a talent (or both!) for writing with volunteers that love writing.

The program was filled with the sweetest and most imaginative kids in the world and I loved every minute of the program. I was offered a chance to try out to be a team leader (meaning I would run the program at a local school) but I felt that I lacked the proper experience and chose instead to return to the same locale I worked in the spring. Some of the kids from last session were there especially one girl who I had worked with. She is inspirational in her persistence and bravery in her writing.

These kids who write such whimsical, outlandish and hilarious myths, short stories and poetry inspired me to let go of any ego in my writing and just write!

Anyway, today was a lesson in children teaching those who supposedly wiser than they in the ways of the world. Writing out of a place of pure thought and energy is always exciting and productive than treating it as a chore or an annoying labor. While they wrote about how they saw themselves in ten years,I reflected on how much I love writing and as critical I can on myself, I need to let that go and create what I want out of a place of love.

I wish the same for you all!

Anyway, this tense and well written piece of sci-fi was a quick and thrilling read. Set in the future on a world that is fraught with peril and hidden agendas, the dark character we meet in the opening sentences is someone we want to learn more about.

I highly recommend this short story for anyone who loves dystopic futures and revenge. Check out the links below to see for yourself.

Happy reading!

http://www.wilwheatonbooks.com/2011/02/hunter-a-short-pay-what-you-want-sci-fi-story.html

Also if you get a chance, check out Mr. Wheaton’s other books (and his blog while you are at it, he’s a funny guy).

The Hunger Games ( A trilogy) by Suzanne Collins

Not too long ago I began hearing buzz for a series called ‘The Hunger Games’ on Twitter, Facebook and from my friends.  After hearing extremely positive reviews I downloaded the book to my Kindle and decided to read it for myself. The book has been called dystopian because it involves a future Earth in a dark and dismal setting. While some debate the validity of that classification the basic premise of that idea holds true.   A wonderful plot and interesting characters and an unexpected mix of the futuristic and rustic settings makes this a must read for anyone interested in the science fiction genre.

The only complaints I have heard and can understand are the sharp cliff-hangers the author inserts between many chapters and from book to book. Cliff-hangers are putting it mildly- sometimes it feels as if you walked off a cliff while walking down the street! However, it wasn’t a big issue for me and only served as encouragement to start reading the next book right away. Another issue (and this is a personal preference) was the straightforward style of the book. While the story is well told, it reads like an intense movie. This is not to the fault of the book at all however, as it makes for an action packed read.  Apparently, I was not the only one to feel this way, as the movie of the Hunger Games makes its way to theatres early next year.

If you are on the fence about reading these books listen up: it’s worth the read.  The book is exciting with a wonderful group of characters that can frustrate and make you root for them at the same time. One of the more original books I have read in a while, the story is told over the course of two years and describes the events of a young girl named Catniss. A character that at times can come off as coarse and unemotional and then in a space of a few pages as insightful and deeply empathic, Catniss has stayed in my head for a long time. If anything, reading the books will prepare you for what looks like an amazing movie or a great conversation topic with a group of friends.

The Trilogy includes: The Hunger Games (Book I), Catching Fire (Book II) and Mockingjay (Book III) by Suzanne Collins

Each week, I try to bring a new perspective to watching the Guild. This week I want to shine a light on how podcasting and The Guild intersect. The Guild is blessed to have a award winning, fan driven podcast hosted by Kenny and Jenny (http://knightsoftheguild.podbean.com/) both of whom have worked on the set of The Guild, and so have an insiders’ perspective of the show. Not too long ago one of the hosts of the show, Kenny, was robbed of the pod-casting equipment he uses for the Guild’s podcast. As a result he started a kickstarter fundriser to buy new equipment so he can continue to produce his awesome show. If you can please donate!! It is a really great podcast and it gives you access to all sorts of geeky information you might otherwise miss out on! Also check out Kenny ‘s awesome blog at http://www.geekyfanboy.com/.  You can find out more about the hilarious Jenny Powell (the co-host of the show) here:http://www.blogger.com/profile/10114880420953336529.

Please keep supporting this web-series and share below how you enjoyed the episode!

The Guild Season 5 Episode 4

While Etsy is a beautiful place, it can also induce anxiety for people like me who freeze in the face of a plethora of choices. However again a quick search of Etsy with the term ‘Kindle Cover’ and limiting by price range bought a more refined view of choices. Soon I found a perfect match – a cute bunny cover in a lovely green color. I was sold! A simple check-out process using my PayPal account elicited s rapid response from the seller who let me know she was out-of-town but would ship my package later that week. That interaction alone was enough for me to give my first Etsy experience a 5 star review! How often do we make purchases and conduct an anonymous exchange?  I love that the seller was so proactive and personable – like I had walked into a small boutique and was given excellent customer service!

At any rate my package was soon shipped off and picked up at my local postal center. See below for my adorable package and its contents!

The cover itself is soft, quilted on the inside, holds my Kindle snugly and well made. I love the simple yet evocative pattern. And look it has bunnies! The bunnies were what sold me. They are just the right size and hold a great balance between a real rabbit and cartoon-y ones.

The case was a little extra I bought to hold my card case, which scratches other items in my purse all the time! It is adorable and has a hoop for a leather strap (which you can also purchase from the seller). The pattern is also a nature based one dotted with squirrels, mushrooms and flowers.

These two items alone made me very satisfied with my purchase. but my lovely seller Sakizome included some little treats for me! Two tea packets and the sweetest stationary set. She even sent a lovely little thank you note!

Although I am lucky enough to have an Etsy Lab in my city and have attended a lot of programs hosted by them, I had never purchased anything from Etsy before. This awesome first foray has led to an amazing experience. Due to this, I will be sure to explore more from not only this amazing seller but Etsy itself. It is such a great change of pace to receive such excellent customer service from an online vendor. I could tell Sakizome puts a lot of effort and time into her creations. The products all carry her name on a label and have a distinctive sense of whimsy to them. It is so easy to just make a simple purchase like this with a regular designer as they offer on Amazon, but spending a bit more energy to finding something that resonates with me was worth it.

If you have a moment please check out Sakizome’s shop on Etsy, she has some amazing products on there (especially for Kindle’s and Ipad’s). And please, let’s all try to support small business owners who bright distinctiveness and style into everyday (and not so ordinary) products. Etsy is definitely a way to support these vendors well.

Obviously I am a huge fan of this web-series. But there is more to The Guild than just the online show. There are a series of comic that have come out in the past year exploring the world of our favorite Guildies before they banded together. Codex has her own series of 3 comics that explain just how she set a cello on fire and what turned her to ’The Game’. The other characters enjoy a piece of the spotlight in  ’one shot’ issues that gives their off-line lives more depth and history. They’re produced by Dark Horse Comics, which house other comics like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dr Horrible and Hellboy.

If you have never picked up a comic and enjoy the series, I think ‘The Guild’ comics are a great doorway into the comic world. Once I re-entered the comic world to check out “The Guild’ comics, I jumped in with both feet and found some comics that have sustained my interest.

At any rate, it seems like one interest in geeky things often leads to another, so have fun exploring your own geek interests!

Find a personal mantra for motivation and encouragement.

Personal Mantra:

“Learn to value yourself; which means: fight for your happiness.” Ayn Rand

“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark in the hopeless swaps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved and have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won. It exists.. it is real.. it is possible.. it’s yours.”  Ayn Rand

Find a song(s) that have some kind of motivation or inspiration

Theme songs:

the new year: Death Cab for Cutie

Mariah’s Theme : Mariah Carey

I And Love And You: The Avett Brothers

Home: Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros

This season starts where the show ended last season, with the gang headed off to the Mega Con after receiving free tickets and hotel rooms from the Kevinator. The first episode has all the usual Guild hallmarks: Codex’s vblog, Tink’s bitchiness, Zaboo‘s overenthusiastic cheer, Clara trying to dodge her family and Bladezz….being Bladzz.  We get to see the group in a new cityand the inside of Vork’s creepy old van.

If you are interested in watching the show, it streams for free on the Xbox online homepage. If you do not have a console, you can watch through the Zune marketplace or wait til Wednesday mornings to watch on MSN video.  While the show is primarily aimed at geeks, its a great watch for almost any demographic. The show has its star Felicia Day who writes and produces the show. Other famous guests include Wil Wheaton, Frank Ashmore and Michelle Boyd. I will continue to write updates as the season progress so check back weekly!