Jason Segel on Fresh Air

Posted on March 31, 2009 by Megan

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Freak and Geeks and all of its satellites. Undeclared is next on my Netflix queue. Well, actually, Pineapple Express and Milk are next, but there is a long wait and a short wait for these, respectively, to which I say: Whoever is having the James Franco movie-fest, it’s my turn.

(Aside: James Franco is studing writing at Columbia as did a certain YA author albeit he is at the grad school and I she did it as an undergrad, and he just sold his first book of short stories. I hope it is better than Ethan Hawke’s jump into the word of fiction.)

Anyway, all of this is to say that last Monday Jason Segel was on Fresh Air on NPR. That night I had actually gone to the ER because I cut my finger making dinner, but the interview was so funny that I forgot my pain. I think Terry Gross had a little crush on him because she kept giggling.

Secrets of Truth & Beauty on the surface has very little in common with Judd Apatow films, but still I like to cast the movie with actors he commonly works with. Jason Segel would definitely be Sascha.

Dara’s Six-Word Memoirs

Posted on March 22, 2009 by Megan

One of the fun trends in the lit world lately is the Six-Word Memoir or Six-Word Story. According to most accounts, this arose from Ernest Hemingway’s claim that any story could be told in six words. His contribution to the genre: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Generally I’m not a fan of Hemingway’s sparse style, but, wow.

Some of my favorite sites to look for these stories are Six Word Stories and Six-Word Memoirs: Life Stories Distilled from NPR (click on the photo gallery for illustrated memoirs).

Inspired, I wrote some six-word memoirs from the perspective of my protagonist, Dara.

My first attempt was a little clumsy: Parents let her go. Me next?

A sillier try: Chose cupcakes for revenge. Plan backfired.

Then I think this one really did it: Lost a family, found a home.

So, fellow writers, what are your six-word stories? I’d love to hear them!

Debs Pageant: Cynthea Liu

Posted on March 19, 2009 by Megan

In Secrets of Truth & Beauty, Dara is a former child pageant star. So, in order to introduce you to the wonderful authors and characters of the 2009 Debutantes, I am hosting a Debs Pageant on my blog.

Today’s contestant is Jessica from Cynthea Liu’s debut, The Great Call of China. Cynthea is something of a superstar: she has both her YA debut and her first middle grade novel, Paris Pan Takes the Dare, coming out this year. On top of that, she developed AuthorsNow! an online venue for authors and illustrators of children’s and young adult literature.

And now . . . the pageant!

Name: Jessica Ye
Age: 16
Biography: I’ll admit it. I’m spoiled. I get practically everything I want, except I don’t get to decide where I’ll apply for college. My parents have it all laid out for me.

What is your talent?
I can work a sewing machine like nobody’s business. But my parents think fashion design is just a hobby.

What will you wear for the evening dress competition?
A Jessica Ye original, of course.

Who is your escort?
Will, naturally.

Now for the interview portion . . .If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
There oughta be more Jessica’s in the world. We would band together and eliminate sweatpants from our society.

Thank you Jessica and Cynthea!

To learn more about Cynthea, please visit her website or AuthorsNow!

The Great Call of China is available now. Buy it at your local bookstore, or through Amazon.

Meghan with an H speaks the truth

Posted on March 17, 2009 by Megan

So, I am not exactly what you would call up on the innerworkings of the Republican party. It turns out that Meghan McCain (daughter of Senator McCain) has been angering some within the party with her views on where the party should go from here. And the response of female pundits was thoughtful debate? Um, not so much. Laura Ingraham responded by . . . criticizing Meghan’s weight.

Meghan has a great response on her blog at the Daily Beast.

But here’s the thing that really got me thinking. When I saw her picture, I thought, “But she’s so pretty! Why are they picking on her?” And in the end, isn’t saying we shouldn’t criticize her because she is in fact attractive playing into the same game? It’s still making the discussion about her looks rather than what she has to say. Yes, she is pretty, but she’s not competing on America’s Next Top Model, she’s making an argument about politics.

I wrote a whole book with body image and prejudices at its core, and I’m as susceptible as everyone else. Not a big surprise, of course, but something I will keep working on improving.

Debs Pageant: Saundra Mitchell

Posted on March 13, 2009 by Megan

In honor of Friday the 13th, we have a contestant from one of scarier Deb books: my awesome agent-mate Saundra Mitchell.

Name: Iris Rhame
Age: 14
Biography: I’ve lived my whole live in Ondine, Louisiana. I live with my daddy, Jack, and next door to a couple of yahoos who think throwing dry ice bombs in the creek is all kinds of hilarious. Me and my best friend Collette are pretty much the only people in Ondine what see magic for what it is.

What is your talent?
Calling the wind and rain.

What will you wear for the evening dress competition?

Something my Uncle Lee picked out.

Who is your escort?
I don’t know. NOT Ben Duvall.

And now for the interview portion . . . What color best represents you and why?

Blue. Dark blue, night blue, like the kind that comes up around a full moon, where it’s velvet and black until you look into the the starlight glow, and realize that black nothing is really forever and ever secretly blue.

Thank you Saundra and Iris!

If you want to know more about Saundra (and ghosts!) visit her website. For more about her book, visit Shadowed Summer.

To purchase Shadowed Summer go to your local bookstore, or order it from Amazon.

Debs Pageant: Erin Dionne

Posted on March 9, 2009 by Megan

Today we have Celeste from Erin Dionne’s Models Don’t Eat Chocolate Cookies. Just like Dara, Celesteis overweight. And both books deal with pageants! Celeste should be a natural for this, right? She would probably beg to differ.

Name: Celeste Harris
Age: 13
Biography: I live with my parents and brother, and my aunt Doreen entered me into this pageant. I SO don’t want to be here.

What is your talent?
Ummm….how do I choose? Eating chocolate cookies? Yurking on my gym teacher’s shoes? Being a Perpetual Teasing Target?

What will you wear for the evening dress competition?
I WANT to wear a hoodie and track pants, but I’ll probably end up in the Peach Monstrosity Bridesmaid dress for my cousin’s wedding.

Who is your escort?
Theo Christmas, my favorite singer/songwriter! Okay, maybe not him. But his POSTER will totally work, right?

And now for the interview portion . . .What color best represents you and why?
Peach. Erin (my author) keeps putting me in it, but I hate it.

Thank you Celeste & Erin!

If you want to know more about Erin, visit her website.

To buy Models Don’t Eat Chocolate Cookies, visit your local bookstore, or order on Amazon.

Debs Pageant: Heather Duffy Stone

Posted on March 3, 2009 by Megan

Today we have Noelle Parker from Heather Duffy Stone’s This is What I Want to Tell You.

This is What I Want to Tell You

Character name: Noelle Carter
Age: 16
Biography: I am a twin. We are 16. You don’t know Parker but he has made me believe exclusively in food, love, and body art.

What is your talent?
Body-reading. I can tell, from how someone holds himself or herself, how much truth there is in what he is thinking or saying.

What will you wear for the evening dress competition?

A faded thin black t-shirt cut to a low v, tall boots, a black skirt.

Who is your escort?

My twin brother. He is there for me. Parker is beautiful but he won’t show up.

And now for the interview portion . . .If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

I would change the rules, all of them. I would make it so that no one could tell us what to do. But let us be. I would make it so that no one expects family to look a certain way or love to look a certain way. I would make it so I can leave school if I need to because no one expects I need to stay. I would change education. It happens from life, not from teachers.

Thank you Noelle and Heather! I haven’t had a chance to read the book yet, but I am super curious about this Parker guy.

If you want to know more about Heather Duffy Stone, visit her website.

You can buy This is What I Want to Tell You at your local bookstore or Amazon.

Megan Frazer Blakemore

Monthly Archives: March 2009