Nookie, or no nookie?

I want to add a sex scene in my teen vampire novel, but I'm not sure if I should. As far as rules about sex in teens books, it's pretty much anything goes. Me personally, I will skip the details. Teens, love ya, but you don't need details.

So what do you think? Wanna see a lil vampire lovin'?

Calling all Midwest Kids/Teens!

Calling all kids from the Midwest!

Are you from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Misssouri, Ohio, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin?

FACES Magazine, an educational children's magazine is seeking kids ages 9 to 17 to participate in our issue all about your region of the United States.

We want your opinion about where you live. So write us a sentence completing this:

The best thing about the Midwest is....

Send us your sentence and a high resolution digital or print photo of yourself by August 30th to either:
plopatafacesmag@yahoo.com

or

Peg Lopata
FACES
Cobblestone Publishing
30 Grove St.
Peterborough, NH 03458

Make sure you send us your complete name, age, and street address. We also need the complete name and address of a parent or guardian.

And check us out at: www.cobblestonepub.com and www.cricketmag.com

I got this information from the SCBWI.org web master. It is legit, I assure you.

My tiny one isn't so tiny anymore

My tiny one (2.5 years old) got up this morning and went for her personal DVD section. She picked out Milo and Otis, a childhood favorite of mine right next to Pete's Dragon. The following scene went something like this:

"I wanna watch Otis and Milo. *opens DVD case* No, I don't wanna watch Otis and Milo. It's too serious. *closes case, grabs Cheburashka* Here's a perfect dvd!"

and she popped it into the player and pressed play. She's awesome.

Anita Blake Series

Do we have any Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter fans in here? I love vampires, always have, but it has taken me forever to get through Laurell K. Hamilton's first book in the series, Guilty Pleasures.

Anita is small, dark and deadly. There is no better way to describe her. She's an animator, she raises the dead and she's known around dark cirlces as "The Executioner" for her reputation in vampire killings. She's a great character as are all the sub-characters (don't get me started on Jeane-Claude *whew*) but I just couldn't get in to it.

The plot is intersting, twisted. The were-rats are..well they're something lol. I think the main thing about this book that doesn't interest me, is that the vampires are the monsters.

When I was a little girl, I bought the VHS tape "Interview With the Vampire" and fell in love with Louie and Lestat. Those two beautiful blood suckers spawned my life-long affinity for the undead and I think Louie's tormented nature is what I found most attractive. The vampire that doesn't want to be a monster. Of course, I purchased the Vampire Chronicles in paperback and loved them all. Armond, rawr! Lestat, although he knew he was a monster, a predator, he was beautiful and something to be feared and admired. Not some mindless killer.

Today my most favorite vampires would have to be Eric Northman and Bill Compton from Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Mystery series. Eric is a Lestat and Bill is a Louie and Miss Sookie Stackhouse, well she's something all on her own.

And I want to add that if Johnny Depp does in fact play Barnabas Collins, well I will just have to add him to my list of favs.

Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins?!?!

I will forever be in love with Barnabas Collis if he is played by Johnny Depp. This is such awesome news I have to share it with you(although nothing is certain yet). I watched this cheesy vampire soap opera nearly everyday after school when I was younger and now to hear that my favorite actor is going to relive it *sigh* Even if you've never heard of Dark Shadows (and you really didn't miss much) any Depp or Vampire fan is going to love this.

http://tinyurl.com/mky2ts

Depp as Vamp? Tim Burton Probes Dark Shadows

• By Hugh Hart
• June 2, 2008 |
• 5:42 pm |
• Categories: Movies

Leave it to director Tim Burton to put the creepiest possible spin on cheeseball mid-century soap opera Dark Shadows.

The daytime drama, which hypnotized TV viewers between 1966 and 1971 with story lines peopled by zombies, vampires and warlocks, is being adapted for the big screen by frequent Burton collaborator John August (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish).

August is bouncing back and forth between Shadows and Billy Batson and the Legend of Shazam. According to IESB.net’sinterview with Get Smart director Peter Segal, who is set to helmShazam, August is writing Dark Shadows for Burton.

So, will Johnny Depp play alpha vampire Barnabas Collins? No word yet. But he previously investigated Headless Horseman decapitations in Burton’s Sleepy Hollow and cut throats with relish in their most recent collaboration, Sweeney Todd, so we’re thinking Depp should be able to sink his teeth into Dark Shadows, no problem.

Photo courtesy MGM Television

Take the dare and show YOU care!

Children's book author Cynthea Lui is taking donations via her website for an underprivilleged elementary school in Oklahoma. These kids need books! Visit Cynthea's website to take the dare and claim your prizes. Yes? Oh! Yes! There are prizes!

http://www.cynthealiu.com/showyoucare/

What are you waiting for?

This is the kind of dare you SHOULD be taking.

Tulakes Elementary will accept NEW or GENTLY-USED children’s fiction and nonfiction books (please– no rips/markings/highlightings/tears- let’s give these kids books that’ll go nicely with their shiny new book boxes.) Tulakes is looking for books for grades Pre-K through 5. If you have fabulous teen books, they’ll take them, too, and distribute them to the middle and high schools as necessary.

Tulakes will also accept RECENT (2008-2009) children’s magazines as well. The kids use them for research and enjoyment. They may also clip them for their school projects. See below for the address to send your books and magazines!

Take the Dare: Show You Care
Tulakes Elementary
c/o Michele Parham
6600 N Galaxie
Oklahoma City, OK 73132

Newest WIP

I know I haven't posted much in a while. I'm reading an older book, so nothing new and exciting to review for you and I have been very busy writing :)

I decided to take a different road out of my comfort zone and see if I can't write a mystery that doesn't have paranormal characters. I had to fight with myself not to make the swoonworthy Tomas Bell a werewolf and so far so good. I have written over 10k words in three days and I still don't know what's going to happen, who did it or why but I have fun characters (I hope) and a missing English teacher and I plan to put a little bit of a racial spin on it. I'll let you know how that goes.

In the meantime my husband is reading my vampire novel. He's just over 100 pages into it (doesn't have much time to read anymore) and he has had nothing bad to say about it. He made two suggestions that I reword some things, but aside from that he loves it. And that's a good sign, trust me. I'm hoping to get accepted to the RUCCL conference this October. I should know by late Aug is my application is among the 70-80 accepted. I'll keep you updated there too.

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd I started an online critique group at yahoo groups titled The Black Quill. As of right now we have three members, all writers of young adult fantasy. I would idealy like to have four but three is good for now. I plan to start the critiquing after the holiday weekend. Looking forward to that. Every writer needs a good, honest and supportive critique group!!

And I suppose that's about it. My kids are keeping me pretty busy with trips to the zoo, the beach, the nearby lake etc. I hope you're enjoying your summer!