"I could hear muffled sounds of my mother crying and my brother shouting, the dogs barking, the voices of the soldiers. All of it mixed together, each sound becoming indistinguishable from the other. I choked on the thick air, dense with unbearable suffering. That was the first time I wished for death to find me."
I've shown you the beginning...
Of chapter one, and now I'll show you the very last paragraph. I'm thinking I should end it a little stronger? But at the moment I have no idea how to do that. Copyright of ME, so don't even think about it...Let me know what you think!
I saw a UFO!
And I completely forgot to mention it! I know what you're thinking, I've lost my marbles, but seriously, it was unlike anything I've ever seen.
Friday night, I put my tiny one to bed at 7:30 and joined my husband on the front porch.
The sky was clear. In New York, often times we get so much light reflecting off the atmosphere, we can't see the stars, but that night there were shining bright. We have a few major airports, so it's nothing to see as many as three or four planes at the same time flying overhead.
We're sitting there, watching the neighbors cat who has adopted our yard as his own stalk a mouse. Aman walks by with his daughter and she points to something in the sky. My eyes follow it.
There, high above the rooftops, is a light. Now, at first, my husband and I both think, it's a helicopter shining down a spot lamp. But it's too far to see anything. The funnel of light cuts off well above the rooftops. It's very, very high. And there is no sound.
No planes fly by. We stare at the triangle of white light. Starring. Starring. And then, it's gone. There is no sound and nothing in the sky, except the faintest trace of light. Then it just fades out completely. Nothing there.
It was crazy! I had no words for it! It was probably some Government thing, who knows, but it was eerie and awesome! We tried to take a picture on hubby's iphone but it was too dark out :(
Sea Change by Aimee Friedman
- Reading level: Young Adult
- Hardcover: 320 pages
- Publisher: Point; 1 edition (June 1, 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0439922283
- ISBN-13: 978-0439922289
- buy on amazon
First, the title Sea Change is an idiom for a transformation in the song Full Fathom Five in Shakesphere's The Tempest. I mention this, because you will notice as you read that "tempest" and "Shakespeere" are both mentioned in the book *gins*
Full Fathom Five
Full fathom five thy father lies; Of his bones are coral made; Those are pearls that were his eyes; Nothing of him that does fade, But doth suffer a sea-change Into something rich and strange. Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell: Ding-dong, Hark! Now I hear them – Ding-dong, bell.
In Sea Change, Friedman takes the traditional story of Merfolk to a whole new level.
Miranda Merchant is a girl with a love for all things scientific, and a special drawl to the ocean. Upon the death of her Southern debutant grandmother, Isadora Hawkins, Miranda and her mother are brought to Selkie Island, the families southern home. The Mariner, a large victorian style mansion nestled in a village from the past with old fashioned gentlemen and lavish parties on the boardwalk, was willed to Miranda's mother and teh two of them plan to clean it up and put it on the market. Miranda soon falls in love with the wonder of the island, but on the other side of Selkie, is where the real magic lies. Fisherman's villiage.
Miranda meets a mysterious boy (don't we all just love mysterious boys?) on Siren beach. Leo challenges her scientific mind and everything she thought about boys and friendships. But is Leo more then a handsome fisherman?
I'm not telling! because you have to get this book. It is a truly fun read of young love, longing and burried family secrets that will leave you begging for more.
The cover design is beautiful and here is a little story about it, from author Aimee Friedman herself!
BALLAD by M. Stiefvater Teaser!
Then he was gone, and I missed his going in the instant that the sun fell off the edge of the hill, abandoning the world to twilight."
I read this book a few months ago (Advanced readers copy) and it's awesome. Trust me.
http://www.amazon.com/Ball
Today is the last day to enter the BALLAD/SHIVER contest on Maggie's Blog!
The Lovely Bones
- ardcover: 328 pages
- Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1st edition (June 1, 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0316666343
- ISBN-13: 978-0316666343
Though she's been gone for years, Susie never leaves them. She's always with her mother and father, her grandmother, her brother and sister, her school crush, Ray--the only boy who'd ever kissed her, and Ruth--the lonely girl Susie's spirit touched in passing. Even the detective following her case and her murderer, Mr. Harvey are visited by Susie.
This story evokes so many emotions, its impossible to put it down. It's beautifully written and can be enjoyed by both adults and teens.
And don't forget to look out for the new film, The Lovely Bones
The Hog
This was it when we bought it
This is the most recent shot I have, but it's since had a set of spot lamps (two side head lights like on the heritage softail) added to it.
Edit: Here is a recent front shot
Yes, that's my kid.
BKBF
The Brooklyn Book Festival was awesome.
First, I went with JUST my husband! No kids! As much as I love my kids, it's great to just go out on a date with my spouse without having to pack sippy cups, snacks, a change of clothes for the one who just recently started using the toilet etc. All parents feel this way. If they tell you they don't, they're either lying orthey're subhuman. It's great to feel like a big person once in a while. A crazy, sexy, cool motorcycle-riding, book lovin', big person.
Anywho, so we took the Harley, of course. It was a beautiful day for a ride-clear skies, warm sun and a slight cool breeze. I have nice racoon eyes from my sun glasses ;) We rode to Brooklyn and went through some really cute little neighborhoods. I am really surprised at how nice parts of BK are becomming. It felt like riding through the Hamptons or the upper west side of Manhattan. Trendy vintage boutiques, cofee houses on every corner with people busilly typing away at their laptops. Just a general cozy, city atmosphere. I decided today, that I would actually LOVE to give up my three story semi-attached town house with a tiny back yard and move into Red Hook Brooklyn. And that's a big shocker, even to myself. Redhook used to be so bad, cops didn't go there. Mafia used it as a dumping ground... and now? Now it's a great up and coming neighborhood. You can't even find a studio apartment for under a grand. So, IF i ever get published and my book launches me into fame and fortune (*laugh*) Hubbski and I will find us a nice three bedroom flat in RedHook.
Moving on. The Book Festival was not really what I expected. Not certain what I was thinking it would be, exactly, but I can tell you, it wasn't that. It was better. There was a plethora of book sellers (love that word...plethora) and quite a few great speakers at the Youth Stoop. We pretty much spent the entire day in that little corner, except for when we ran off to get a coffee.
I met (however breifly, it was amazing):
Laurie Halse Anderson ,Wintergirls (left)
Gayle Forman, If I stay (right)
And now a more sane picture
Aimee Friedman, Sea Change (right)
Anna Godberson, The Luxe series (left)
And all four of the women were wonderful. Great speakers. They inspired and motivated me today. AND they each autographed a copy of their books :) WOOT!
So, this was my score for the afternoon. The stack of books in front, not the mess behind it. I know, I know. I seriously need a better bookshelf.
and some more pictures :)
You should definately check out these ladies. Their books are great.
The End.
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