2011 Wrap-Up. Yes, I'm alive!

Hello, darlings!

It feels like years since I last wrote to you, and I miss you so. Truly, I do. In the month and a half since I started the hiatus, I've buried myself under a ton of great books. Plus Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's been wonderful. Unfortunately, I haven't finished the edit of my current project. I'm more and more thinking my idea is a bit Big for a debut. Maybe I'm wrong, but that spark of love just isn't there right now. Better to sit on it, come back later, and give it the time and respect it deserves.

Before we ring in 2012, I wanted to update you on my books and movies. Now, don't worry. They won't all get 100 words. That would be much too long of a post. So, I'll give each book and movie a score of up to five cheetah tails (all my opinion, of course).

November and December Books:

Fat Vampire, Adam Rex > 2.5 Tails
Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver > 4 Tails
Beautiful Disaster, Jamie McGuire > 3 Tails
13 Little Blue Envelopes, Maureen Johnson > 3 Tails
The Last Little Blue Envelope, Maureen Johnson > 3 Tails
The Vincent Boys, Abbi Cline > 2 Tails
That Boy, Jillian Dodd > 3.5 Tails
Between the Lines, Tamara Webber > 4 Tails
Where You Are, Tamara Webber > 3.5 Tails
Something Like Fate, Susane Colasanti > 2.5 Tails
Anna and the French Kiss, Stephanie Perkins > 5 Tails!!!!!!
Lola and the Boy Next Door, Stephanie Perkins > 5 Tails!!!!!!
Flat-Out Love, Jessica Parks > 4 Tails
Catching Jordan, Miranda Kenneally > 4 Tails
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy Kaling > 4 Tails
Size Matters Not, Warwick Davis > 3.5 Tails

I'm still making my way through The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but it's slow going. I also have a half dozen books waiting on my Kindle Fire (oh, yeah! Did I mention I got a Kindle Fire?! LOVE IT!!!!), and a wonderful work-friend loaned me The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. Plus, I received The Perks of Being a Wallflower for Christmas. So many yummy books and so little time! How does a writer write when there's so much awesome stuff to read? :)


Movies

Twilight: Breaking Dawn > 3.5 Tails
The Muppets > 4 Tails
We Bought a Zoo > 4 Tails
New Year's Eve > 3.5 Tails


The New Year is hours away, so I wanted to wish all of you the brightest and best in 2012. I will continue my blog hiatus, but I'm available by email or on Twitter. I have a new idea floating around my happy, cheetah head. We'll see what becomes of it!

I love you all!

:), Marie

In Time in 100 Words, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween, darlings! Zombie up and vampire down. Today's the one day a year you can be anything you want. Enjoy it! I'm going as a Starbucks barista zombie and plan to Thriller at least once. :) How about you? Witch? Fairy? Katniss? I'd love to see some costumes!

Oh, and here's my pumpkin! A little rough, sure, but such a great time. :)

If you carved a literary pumpkin, head over to YA Highway to enter the Halloween contest. It's free books, people. Can't beat that.

So, on to the movie! I was able to see In Time on Friday.

Hi. I'm Marie. I'm a movieholic.

But don't you see? You're my support group...kind of. Umm, anyway! How about 100 words?


Humans age until they're twenty five, then they're on a clock. Time is currency. The rich have lots, the poor don’t. See the political backdrop of this movie? I loveLoveLOVED the idea, but the execution left me with 'huh?' face. Lots of 'time' puns, a look at Vincent Kartheiser post-Angel (Connor), and the extraordinary Cillian Murphy who didn't get enough TIME in this movie. I cared about his character the most, and his story didn't quite have the punch it could've.

If you're curious about Timberlake as an action star, see it in the theaters. Otherwise, wait for the DVD.





For some wonderful reason, every theater in Dayton, Ohio decided not to play Anonymous. Maybe next week...

I won't be posting on Wednesday or Friday of this week due to my Backspace Conference adventure. Speaking of, there's still time to win SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi! Just go here, and comment on my first pages by the end of the day today. I'll announce a winner tomorrow. Thanks again (and ahead of TIME) to everyone who offered advice on my query and first pages. I sincerely appreciate your feedback. :)

-Marie

100 Words for The Three Musketeers

I didn't see the 1993 Musketeers, so I can't make a fair comparison, but the semi-drunk, quasi-retired musketeers (not to mention, the arrogant D'Artagnan) made me constantly oooh, aaaah, and from-the-belly laugh. They’re on a mission to save France from a bloody war with the Duke of Buckingham (Bloom). An entertaining couple of hours (thank you, Planchet!), brimming with creative swordplay, and all the Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen) you'll ever need.

CAUTION, though! Orlando Bloom NEVER PICKS UP A SWORD! I couldn't speak for several minutes when I realized it. Guess I'll have to wait for the sequel. :)


A ton of contests are happening all over our beloved internet. Check out this, this, this, and this for ARC's (sorry about all the links, but...ARC's!!!!!), and Miss Snark for the upcoming Baker's Dozen.

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, POSSIBLY LIFE-ALTERING NOTE!

Got your attention? hehe

If you have any chance at all to get a copy of SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi before it comes out on 11/15/11, GET IT. Finished it in A DAY, and I'm a super slow reader. The devious, spine-tingling, bad boy villain grabbed and crushed my heart in his first scene. I'm his forever!

Happy Monday!

-Marie

Jump Back! FOOTLOOSE Review in 100 Words

An accident kills five seniors in a tiny Georgia town, and the church-based community bans 'fun.' Three years later, a mouthy Boston gymnast shakes everyone up.

Someone took a good-but-hard-to-believe story (a ban on public dancing?), and added five scenes to make you invest more in the characters. Whether you loved or hated the original FOOTLOOSE, you'll enjoy this touching remake. There are changes, sure, but so much from the 80's is back in style, you may not notice all the throwbacks. :)

Williard still steals the show, and boy, can those kids MOVE! Everybody, including you, cut loose!


For any other Hunger Games groupies out there, the promo poster with Katniss's mockingjay pin was shining in the 'Coming Soon'  advertisement outside my local theater. I squealed like a potbelly pig and took a picture. Several people passed in that eerie silence that means they're afraid of you. Yeah.....lol.

Hyperventilating-excited!

-Marie

REAL STEEL! Really Worth It! 100 Word Review

Charlie Kenton unexpectedly gets custody of his estranged son, Max, and they spend the summer finding, building, and training an outdated sparring bot, Atom, to get in the robot boxing game, the only kind of boxing in the future. Charlie's a ton of terrible things (drinker, gambler, charmer…), but he used to be different. He was a great boxer with heart, heart, heart. As he trains Atom, as Max makes a friend for the first time, as the two finally find each other, Jackman reminds us how awesome Redemption can be.

Excellent movie for the whole family. Don't miss it!



One hundred words can't do this movie justice! Gaaarrrrrrrr.

When I saw the previews, I basically turned up my nose. I thought it was Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robots, The Movie. I never expected the effects to be stunning, and I certainly didn't dream I'd cry. Yes, you heard right. I cried! At the end of this Cinderella story, I wanted to stand on my seat and cheer out loud, so take your friends, your family, your kids, your date, because everyone can enjoy Real Steel.

Not convinced? Okay, here's the kicker. A robot...does The Robot. Yes! Go! Now!!!!! ;)

-Marie

Moneyball Review, and Hunger Games teaser!!!!!

First of all, I've seen the Hunger Games teaser several times and always forget to mention it (sorry!). Here's a link. There's no Peeta, but I was hopping in my chair. Literally. Raise your hand if you're excited!!!

Also, the fabulous Amparo Ortiz created a new and crazy-awesome blog called Reel YA where she reviews teen books and movies. I love it! Check it out here. So worth it, especially since she reviewed 10 Things I Hate About You last week. I heart Heath Ledger (miss you)!

Okay! I caught Moneyball over the weekend. Here's 100 words for your reading pleasure!


Combine Pitt's looks, a true story, and Jonah Hill's timing, and you get the inspirational Moneyball. Retired baseball player Billy Beane teams up with economist Peter Brand to put together an inexpensive, winning team based strictly on the numbers. Though the Athletics don't win the World Series, the road to the playoffs will hold your attention for about seventy five percent of the movie. The other half hour kind of drags.

Shining spot? Young actress Kerris Dorsey who plays Beane's daughter. Cute as a button with a sweet-as-cotton-candy voice that tugs at your tear ducts. This girl needs more work!


That's it! An excellent date movie. Sports for the guys, and Brad for the girls. ;) Next week will be a fight between Hugh Jackman and Anna Faris. We'll see who wins!

-Marie

2-for-1 Review for ABDUCTION

You read that right, darlings. One movie, two reviews.

While you may be thinking I have multiple personalities (and I'm not 100% denying that), don't worry. I'm doing two reviews for 1) how I really felt about Taylor Lautner's Abduction, and 2) the guilty pleasure aspect of a movie like this. Sound crazy? Well, I'll walk you through the real review, and you can decide if you want to read my 100 word 'Guilty Pleasure' review. Deal? Great!



When Nathan Price finds his picture on a missing person's website, his entire life changes. Russian baddies and the CIA are after him, but his therapist tells him not to trust anyone except his real dad (who he’s never met). Oh, yeah. There's also a romance. A lot of big names for a movie with relationships as passionate as those in Attack of the Clones, and a *shrug* ending.

BUT…

Lautner takes off his shirt, and Jason Isaacs and Maria Bello exist (though, they’re severely underused). If the previews entice you, take a deep breath and rewatch New Moon. :)

Okay!

That was the actual review, but stick with me another minute. There are certain movies that I see without any expectation that they'll be Oscar contenders. Most of them star Amanda Bynes (I seriously LOVE her. Sue me!). I mean, Rotten Tomatoes gave Abduction a 4%, and Entertainment Weekly rated it a 'C' (reader-reviewers gave it a 'D,' btw), so I wasn't hoping for Inception  or The King's Speech.

So here it is. My 'Guilty Pleasure' review of Abduction. Gentlemen, be warned. There may be squeals.




Big names, hot cars, explosions, and what am I missing...OH! Taylor Lautner!

SQUEAL!

Yes, Jacob's taking center stage with a love interest who may be more bland than Bella Swan. Lautner plays Nathan Price, a rich and extremely buff high school senior with anger management issues and a completely fake life. Thirty minutes into the movie, Nathan and sorta-sweetheart Karen are running from villainous russians and that dude from Spiderman 2. No one can be trusted, but we can't seem to care as Lautner plays the yummy, furrow-browed action star.

He fights, he cries, he takes off his shirt.

SQUEAL!



LOL! I solumnly swear to never put you through that again if you continue following the cheetah. :) And thank you, Google Images, for providing the smoldering goodness above.

-Marie

Dangerous and Disturbing. STRAW DOGS in 100 Words

What happens when Hollywood meets small town? Rape, death, and Alexander Skarsgard.

Disturbing may be an understatement. From the cat hanging to the creative use of a bear trap, my skin could NOT stop crawling. Besides a weak female lead (charcter, not actress) and a secondary plot straight out of OF MICE AND MEN, Straw Dogs basically follows a writer as he protects his wife and home, but I wouldn't recommend it to the squeamish among us.

One high point. We find out how well Eric Northman speaks with a Bill Compton accent. ;)


When I made a resolution to step out of my movie goer 'comfort zone,' this was the kind of movie I had in mind, but darn it if I don't pay more attention as I walk through my house after dusk. *shiver*

Completely unrelated, a writer auction called Read for Relief is happening right now! Proceeds will benefit Hurricane Irene's victims. Such a great cause! Check it out and bid on some awesome books, critiques, and lovely swag.

-Marie

One Hundred for WARRIOR: Tom Hardy does it again!

In Warrior, Tommy Reardon lives through his father’s drunken dismissal, his mother’s death, the friendly fire death of his Marine brothers, and now he’s back in Pittsburgh ready to fight UFC-style for five million dollars. Then there’s his brother, Brendan,a physics teacher and retired fighter ‘this close’ to losing his home. When the cage closes for the last match, they'll face each other in the ring.

With family drama, cringe-inducing hits, and the exquisite Tom Hardy, this movie could appeal to anyone. It’s not The Fighter, but it’s very close. You don’t want to miss it.

We're back in the swing of things with another one hundred word review. Can you believe it's the middle of September?! Wow. Just wow.

Have you seen Warrior? Any other movies you're excited to see? Abduction? Real Steel? Sherlock Holmes? Breaking Dawn? So many movies, so little time. :)

-Marie

100 Words for Fright Night

Let me start by saying that I'm a huge wuss, and The Lost Boys (the original one) scared the jeepers out of me. But I need to qualify that. I loveLoveLOVE Buffy and all that is Spike and, on occasion, Angel. Twilight? Um, YES! And Damon Salvatore can bite me anytime. ;)

So, even though it was a horror movie and sure to have me shivering in my movie-friend's lap, I braved Fright Night in bloody 3D. Here's my review in, well, you know.

The terribly handsome and deliciously evil vampire, Jerry (yes, Jerry) moves into the house next to Charley's in an isolated Vegas neighborhood. People begin disappearing, Jerry stalks Charley's mother and girlfriend, and a bloody good time is had by all. There were scary, something's-right-around-the-corner-LOOK-OUT parts, but the grisly vampire effects and the gratuitous 3D blood-spurting kept it oddly light. Colin Farrell has the 'half smile paired with gruff, bedroom voice' down to an art, and the Twilight/Buffy/Scooby gang references never got old. This wasn't a terrible movie, but I'm glad I saw it in the middle of the day.

Do I have any horror movie buffs out there? You're SO brave!

-Marie

The Help in 100 Words. Grab those tissues!

In The Help, a budding novelist writes about the lives of the maids in Jackson, Mississippi. How they raise their employer’s children, prepare their food, clean their messes, but aren’t allowed to use the same toilets. My heart broke over and over in this movie, because some piece of this tale rings true of our history. At some point in America, people treated other human beings like a different, inferior species.

The casting is superb, the emotions real, the story tragic but trimmed in delicious hope. You absolutely must see this movie, but take some tissues. J

Hate is worse than the plague in how it spreads and grows, mutates and devours, but there is a cure. Courage. These stories light a fire in me and in you, too, I hope, to work hard to make our world a better place for everyone to live. Agree to disagree, no matter the subject, and just like my post last Friday tried to convey, live your life to the fullest for you and for everyone you meet. You will never regret it.

And on a lighter note, check out the cutest thing EVER!

-Marie

Friends with Benefits in 100 Sweet, Sexy Words!

Friends with Benefits is a romantic comedy poking fun at all romantic comedies. Though it’s not the first movie to do this, the funny, fast-talking Timberlake and Kunis pull it off with a lot of sex, a lot of sass, and a deeper plot than the previews lead me to believe. The recurring jokes and everything Woody Harrelson did kept me laughing, and SPOILER ALERT, there is a ‘happily ever after.’ Oh, and Shaun White? Hilarious as he dons that goofy smile and threatens Justin Timberlake in the most creative ways possible.

My opinion? Better than No Strings Attached. :)  

Another movie, darlings! Though I had planned to see The Help, it just didn't turn out that way. Maybe next week. Have you seen any good movies lately? Excited about the Fall lineup? Breaking Dawn, Part 1? Abduction? Any non-Taylor Lautner movies?


-Marie

100 Words for Rise of the Planet of the Apes!

Don’t be fooled by the previews. This isn’t ‘Attack of the Killer Apes’ or ‘How the Humans Die.’ It's a tearful tale of one baby chimpanzee, Caesar. Born in a lab, Caesar’s genetic makeup has been altered. He is smart, fast, emotional, and so very confused. His tale from ‘pet’ to leader of a revolution is heartbreaking, but somehow triumphant.

John Lithgow pulls off ‘struggling and sick father’ so well, and Tom Felton, who's probably the final catalyst of the ape revolutionary, made me hate him…well, almost. The effects blew me away, and for a prequel, I highly recommend.

Trivia Time!

What makes a primate a monkey versus an ape? :) I learned this from my five year old niece. Answers in comments, please!

-Marie

Crazy, Stupid, Love - A Review in...drum roll...One Hundred Words!

Happy August, everyone! I'll go through my New Year's Resolution update and July books on Wednesday, but today, I have 100 words for Steve Carell's recent romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love. Oh, and stay tuned for some fun housekeeping after the review.

If Steve Carell left The Office for movies like Crazy, Stupid, Love, then I say HOORAY!

One couple separates, one finds each other, and one doesn’t stand a chance. This movie seamlessly ties them all together along with a zany cast of secondary characters. Steve Carell again proves he’s leading man material, Moore and Stone are lovely, and Ryan Gosling? Better abs than Green Lantern. I laughed, found myself with a goofy grin, made an ‘awww’ noise more than once, and the 'fight' scene was hysterical!

Just an excellent and wonderfully well done story. See it right now!




Seriously, you don't want to miss this one. I've vowed not to buy DVD's, because my collection's slowing turning into a house-eating monster, but I will own this when it comes out. So worth the money, and the Best Zingers Award goes to Liza Lapira as Emma Stone's sassy friend. She's such a great addition!


Tap-tap-tap.


Housekeeping. You need towels?


Okay, a bit of housekeeping.


First, the lovely Laura Stanford is having a Facebook contest! Check out her blog and head over to her Facebook page for a chance to win a Barnes and Noble gift card.


Second, my polished first draft of EXQUISITE GRAY, my Katherine Wake story, is in the hands of my fantastic writer-friends from BackSpace. My amazing pal, Escape Artist, has been reading as I go. Such a brave soul! So, hopefully I don't bore anyone to death, and I get a ton of great feedback to polish for...


Third, I'm about 89% sure I'll be going to the BackSpace conference in November. Sending my MS to my crit partners gave me the itch. You know the one. If anyone else is considering it and want to split the hotel bill (it's NYC Marathon weekend, so the price is higher than the May conference), I'm game!


Last, thanks to everyone who read my entry into Lisa Galek's Happy Birthday, Harry fanfic contest yesterday. I love my little tear jerker! :)


-Marie

One Hundred Words for Captain America: The First Avenger

I’m not comic book movie’d out, but I wanted to see Captain America about as much as Thor (very little). Imagine my surprise when I really enjoyed it.

The effects made Chris Evans look sickly and Hugo Weaving look sick (the good kind of sick. Think wicked sick). Agent Smith proved he’s so much better as a villain, and in Captain America, a deranged, super-powered, anti-Hitler, German mastermind with the power of the Gods at his disposal. Tommy Lee Jones is spectacular comic relief, and the ‘death’ scene broke my heart.

See it on the big screen. It’s worth it!

It's the last week of July, darlings. I'm 'this close' to finishing the first draft of my revamped MS. Exciting! How about you? Close to your July goals?

We'll touch on self publishing on Wednesday, and my Friday post will actually be on Sunday for Lisa Galek's Harry Potter contest. Sign up today!

-Marie

HP 7.2 Review with Top Five Lists and an AWESOME contest!

SPOILERS!         Turn back now if you don't know what happens!      SPOILERS!



Deathly Hallows, Part 2 makes up for its snail-like start by smashing into (and out of) Gringotts, apparating to Aberforth’s house, waltzing into Hogwarts, and ACTION ACTION ACTION after that with a ridiculously sad flashback in which I choked out a breath or two around my sobs. Alan Rickman is a superb Severus Snape. Lovesick, pained, devastated, and a truly good man. I love him for breaking my heart.

Though most of the cast members make an appearance, this movie is all about Harry. I don’t know if I’ll make it a month without seeing this last film again.

And because 100 words isn't nearly enough, here are a couple Top Five lists. Again, SPOILERS!

Top Five Things I loveLoveLOVED about HP 7.2

1. Snape flashback.

2. Luna Lovegood demanding to be heard.

3. The entire theater cheering for 'Not my daughter, you bitch!'

4. The entire theater cheering when Neville Longbottom killed Nagini!

5. Everything Minerva McGonagall did.

The Potter-style 3D glasses were a big winner in my book as well. ;) Yes, I'm an enormous nerd who hugged these plastic not-sunglasses to my heart and spun around like an ungraceful ballerina. You should be very sad you missed that show. hehe

Top Five Things I Sorely Missed

1. The Weasley Reunion with Percy

2. Fred Weasley's death meaning SOMETHING! Yes, it happened, but no jokes with Percy, no Percy raging after the killer, not even a full scene. I wanted to cry, darn it!

3. Nagini in the bubble. It was in the teaser poster, but not the actual movie.

4. More Hermione!

5. Ron punching Draco while running through the castle (though I love me some Draco Malfoy).

Lisa Galek over at Read. Write. Repeat. is having a spectacular contest to celebrate all things Potter. Check it out here.

She's been at The Wonderful World of Harry Potter (JEALOUS) and is offering some great prizes. You do NOT want to miss this. Sign up for the fanfiction contest too, and we'll hop around on July 31 (Harry's birthday) to check out the stories.

It's a sad, sad day to see it all end, but let's celebrate the worldwide phenomenon that is Harry Potter with smiles and contests and homemade butterbeers. Nothing will be what these last 10+ years have been, and I'm so thankful I was a part of it. :)

What did you think? Devasted it's over? Psyched for Breaking Dawn? How about The Hunger Games? Who's thinking about a trip to TWWoHP? Come on. Impromptu Orlando vacation? Anyone? Bueller?

Big hugs and bright smiles to all of my darlings.

-Marie 

Horrible Bosses, Terrific Movie - Review in 100 Words

Meet Nick, Dale, and Kurt. Three friends who decide to kill their, um, horrible bosses.

Hello, hijinks!

Yes, they get arrested. Yes, someone’s boss dies. And, yes, Jamie Foxx is at his funny best! This is not one of those movies where all the hilarious scenes show up in the previews. You will laugh at ev-er-y-thing Charlie Day does, says, thinks, looks, etc. No joke. Bateman plays a perfect Straight Man, and Sudeikis is a loveable manwhore.

It’s Office Space meets The Hangover. If you want to laugh like a hyena for ninety minutes, this movie is for you!

That's it!

I don't know if you've heard, but the last Harry Potter movie comes out this week, so this Friday's blog post will be moved to Saturday to accomodate an extra hour of Cheetah sleep. For all my midnight showing comrades, I salute you!!! I also salute everyone else, but with less pinache. Not a lot less. Just enough to, you know, tell a difference.

Also, I'm thinking about doing a blogfest here at the Cheetah. I've participated in a lot of blogfests, but I've never actually hosted one. Any advice? Tips? Topics of interest? And does anyone know where I can find one of those Linky lists? :)

-Marie

A Positive Pontification on Mr. Popper's Penguins

Don't worry. I'll spare you a review chock full of 'P' words, though there's quite a few in the film.

For your Independence Day pleasure (oooh, just that one!), enjoy my 100 word review of Jim Carrey's latest, Mr. Popper's Penguins.

When Mr. Popper, an all-work-no-play businessman, receives a pet penguin from his late father, his perfect life falls apart. The penguin floods Popper’s bathroom, leaves him gooey gifts, and costs him a small fortune. Then a miscommunication with the penguin shippers brings five more birds to New York. Long story short, Popper falls for them, reconnects with his family, and learns a valuable lesson about life, love, and…you get the idea.

A cute movie that tended to drag, but worth the money to see the old, Jim Carrey slow-motion gag. Ahhh, I miss Ace Ventura. :)

That's it! Make sure you find some spectacular fireworks to wind down your long holiday weekend. I'll be back on Wednesday with a June wrap-up.

-Marie

100 Words for Bad Teacher, and Praise for The Lion King!

Welcome to Monday, everyone! This week's going to be fabulous. I just know it. :)

And it all starts with a quick review of Bad Teacher.

Oh, Cameron Diaz, you’re lovely. Really. Except when you’re a drinking, drugging, cheating, gold digging teacher who thinks her breasts aren’t perfect enough.

I don’t walk into a rated R comedy expecting the perfection of Inception (LOVE that movie), so I ignored the critics. Diaz plays her Miss Halsey too well. Timberlake and Lucy Punch made me cringe-laugh with their tooth rotting sweetness, and Jason Segel? Well, I rooted for and against him the entire time.

There’s zero to like about Diaz’s character, but if you’re looking for a laugh, check this movie out when it comes to DVD.

As you probably gathered, Bad Teacher wasn't the highlight of my weekend. I had the pleasure of seeing The Lion King performed on stage here in Dayton, Ohio.

Holy hot dog!

Amazing. Inspiring. The sun rose on Elton John and Tim Rice's Circle of Life, and my heart sped up. It was emotion like I haven't felt in ages. If you get the chance to see this, you won't regret it. Your kids will enjoy it. Your parents will too. The Pridelands come to life with giraffes, cheetahs, lions, and a farting warthog I want to cuddle, Elmyra Duff style.

We're in the final stretch of June 2011. For all of you teachers out there, think of me between the hours of seven and four each weekday while you relax into your summer break. :)

-Marie

Green Lantern. Praising the narrator and tighty whities in 100 words!

The movie opens with back story explaining the existence of three thousand (plus) alien races and their Green Lanterns, super beings who wield the power of Will.

Which is green.

Ryan Reynolds plays Hal Jordan, a womanizing pilot with leftover trauma from his father’s death and who looks amazing in white boxer briefs. Jordan becomes a Green Lantern, bad things happen, and he’s forced to save Earth in a shining, skintight suit.

Which is green.

Geoffrey Rush’s narration lulls us into extraterrestrial dreamland, and I’m not a jewelry girl, but I’d accept one of those rings.

Which is…you know. ;)

That's it! We're in the countdown to summer, everyone, at least in my neck of the woods. Temperatures are scorching, but the rain's hanging around. Get ready for July. It's right around the corner!


Oh, and Crits for Water goes to the end of this month. Check it out for some last minute author and agent critiques and to give clean water to those who need it!


-Marie