happy birthday...!

Happy Birthday to my amazing, fabulous, lovely mother!
I love you, mum! :)

Head on over to her blog to leave a birthday comment or wish!

When I'm an Earl

No matter — now — Sweet —
But when I'm Earl —
Won't you wish you'd spoken
To that dull Girl?

Trivial a Word — just —
Trivial — a Smile —
But won't you wish you'd spared one
When I'm Earl?

I shan't need it — then —
Crests — will do —
Eagles on my Buckles —
On my Belt — too —

Ermine — my familiar Gown —
Say — Sweet — then
Won't you wish you'd smiled — just —
Me upon?


~Emily Dickinson


Poetry Friday roundup at The Drift Record

Real Life Fairy Tale

About a year ago, I was hanging out with my dear friend Rosie and we were messing about, taking random pictures of each other.

There's a fence in my backyard, and I was suddenly reminded of a scene towards the beginning of Sarah Dessen's Lock and Key, so I re-enacted it (you can see it here, if you like). I was instantly inspired to keep doing something similar, and we struck upon the idea of re-creating scenes from different fairy tales and classic stories.

Here, then, are our photo re-imaginings.

I am such a mess

I can't see your face
—or yours—or yours—
without
crying

I can't read your words
—or yours—or yours—
without
aching

I can't hear that song
—or that—or that—
without
gasping

for breath


_____
copyright Miss Erin McIntosh, 2009
please do not reprint without permission
Poetry Friday roundup at Wild Rose Reader

Find Beauty Challenge entry!

At last, I have my entry for the Find Beauty Challenge!

I have a favor to ask. Once you've watched the video, if you could go here and rate the video, that would be wonderful. I would be so grateful. The more hits and ratings I can get, the better chance I have of making it as a top five finalist. Thank you! :)

I hope you like it:

This might just be my favorite dedication in a book

(found in The Key to the Golden Firebird by Maureen Johnson)

For my dad, Raymond R. Johnson, who gave me the
following piece of advice when I started high school:
"Take it from me, if you're going to sneak out of class through the
window and climb down a drainpipe to the ground, wear
shoes that don't slip." This is a foolproof suggestion,
which only goes to show how smart dads can sometimes be.

Operation TBD!

Dear readergirlz, the time has come for a contest! Actually, five weeks of contests!

Here's the deal: each week from now until Support Teen Literature Day on April 16th, we'll be awarding a package of books to one winner. To enter, you just comment at the readergirlz blog (comments on older posts count - a point for each comment!) and get an extra ten points for taking up the week's challenge. Get ten more any time by becoming one of our blog followers!

Report your post at the readergirlz blog with the URL (and get eleven points!). We'll keep track of the comments and urls and award the winners each week. Books! Prizes! And you'll be supporting teen lit and hospitalized teens across the country.

This week's challenge:

Post the Operation TBD trailer on your blog (trailer below). Spread the word about Operation TBD!




Remember, for your posts to count toward the contest, you must post at the readergirlz blog. Hope to see you there!

16 things that make me happy right now

1. raindrops
2. knowing
3. defining beauty
4. purple
6. others' fortune
7. the radio
8. confidence
9. ridiculous, over-the-top, hilarious and oh-so-entertaining movies (like the fourth Indy Jones installment)
10. actors
11. being sure
12. anticipation
13. friends with mad talent
14. someday thoughts
15. "Mr. Pitiful"
16. strawberries

"I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason..."

Last month, my mom and I road-tripped to Seattle for author Justina Chen Headley's book launch party for the release of her novel North of Beautiful. Sweet friend Holly Cupala had invited us to stay with her and her lovely fam to surprise Justina. And Justina was definitely surprised. :)
Justina's been a friend and mentor for a couple of years now, and the one best word to describe her is inspiring. She is the epitome of inspiring. I have such a deep love and admiration for her, and am happy to say she is one of the most amazing people I've ever met.I also got to see some of my other brilliant friends/heroes again. Janet Lee Carey:
Lorie Ann Grover and daughter Ellen (they both have fantastic style, yes?):
A fellow Shan-fan and great online friend:
Dia Calhoun:
Jackie...who I don't seem to have a picture of. *frown* And of course Holly Cupala (who also has rockin' style):
One of the ways North of Beautiful inspired me (besides the desire to travel) is to take up collaging. In that vein, I made a collage for Justina, as well as a soundtrack for the novel (which I will post soon).
I also proceeded to sing "For Good" which made people (um...including myself) cry. But that's okay because I meant every word, singing it in front of people who have given me so much, much more than they will probably ever know.

(Now you know what this was referring to.)

A Room on Lorelei Street

by Mary E. Pearson

Zoe's seventeen and she lives alone with her mom. But she doesn't think she can anymore. The story starts there.

Mary E. Pearson has a great talent for creating characters that resonate strongly with me, even if on the surface I have nothing in common with them. Her writing is very strong, like a slap in the face at times. Very vivid, very powerful. The writing style is unique and unconventional, but it works well. She has a way with bringing stark truth and emotion to "everyday" scenarios. I cared about Zoe so much. I needed her to be okay.

A Room on Lorelei Street is not a pleasant read, though. Reading about Zoe's life, about her struggles, was hard. I literally kept wanting to put the book down so I could breathe, but at the same time found it too compelling to do so. The story weighed on me; because of its heaviness but also because it gave me a lot to think about.

It showed truth. It didn't soften life. And in the end, that's the mark of a good novel.


(Note: strong language and some sexual content)

What I Can't Hold

I'm sort of stealing this idea from cuileann, basically because she's brilliant.

Every week I'd like to post a mosaic of my some of my flickr favorites. I'm always astounded at the beauty in photographs I see there, and I want to share some of that with you all.

1. Vice versa Karen, 2. To command a Sun, 3. She brings the sunset, 4. 310/366 {swingokeh}, 5. A Handful Of Sparkle, 6. Up close, 7. Web in B&W, 8. All the days spent together [EXPLORE], 9. .talent.

And while I'm at it, why not share a poem . . . part inspired by these images, part inspired by the back alleyways of my mind.


The light behind you
hurts my eyes, the glare
of that sun
beckoning
I see the sky
in you

more than you know

thoughts all in a row
like school children
black and beaten
and empty

You hold such light
one breath could blow
everything to
the door
wet and sticky
and gray
where we used to have
such brilliance

You run
towards me
giving up.
you say,
And that's love.


_____
copyright Miss Erin McIntosh, 2009
please do not reprint without permission
Poetry Friday roundup at Picture Book of the Day

Readergirlz presents: Mary E. Pearson!

This month, readergirlz are discussing The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (see review), one of my top favorite books I read last year!

Read the March issue of readergirlz. There's a playlist for the book, plus book guide questions and party ideas.

Drop by the readergirlz forum as well as the readergirlz blog to discuss the book with other readers, ALL MONTH LONG!

LIVE CHAT:
Join our hour-long chat with Mary E. Pearson at the readergirlz forum on Thursday, March 19th, from 6 PM PST/9 PM EST.

Roundtable Discussion
Some of the readergirlz divas and postergirlz had a great time talking together about The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Read the roundtable discussion.

a note

The lovely poet (and friend) Maya was so gracious as to interview me. If you're interested, head over to her blog to check it out.

What I do for fun

My idea of a good time is sometimes as simple as visiting my library's website and placing holds on a whole slew of books, all at once. There's something really relaxing yet exciting about it. Looking up book after book, clicking "place hold."

Very fun.