Sheralyn Pratt's Blog, page 10

At Last! The Playlist Starts to Reveal Itself!

Yay! I'm so glad that I have at last tripped over one of the soundtrack songs for Unpleasant Grove. It beckoned me while I was scanning through channels yesterday, and it's perfect. I tested it last night and *cha-ching* we have a winner.
So if you like to listen along, here you go, Song #1 on the Unpleasant Grove Soundtrack:


I need more, obviously--at least four. But I can start with this. Suggestions are still welcome.
For those of you keeping up on New Solomon, this is the current playlist:







Happy listening. And my thanks to the composers and performers. Love it!

The Dish on Pottermore

Okay, so some of you may have heard of Pottermore-J.K. Rowling's new website that takes you into the books. For the past few months, people from all over the world have been let onto the site in increments to act as beta testers. Happily, I am one of these people, and for those of you who have questions, here's the basic rundown:
The site is created to move you through the books--yes, ALL of them--as if you were a student at Hogwarts. Within the site are visual scenes from the book that you explore. You move through each phase just like Harry does. You get your acceptance letter, you go shopping, you get your want, and you're sorted. After you are sorted into your house, you earn house points by participating in the site by doing things like brewing potions or winning spell duels.
For example: My wand is a Hawthorne wand with a unicorn core, 12 1/4", slightly springy, and I was sorted into Slytherin. Once you are sorted, that's it. Just like in the books, that's your house. I need to get on earning more points for my house, but I am proud (as Slytherins frequently are) that while Slytherin has the least students in its house, it is currently in the lead for house points.
As a beta tester it seems new things are added to the site regularly, so I don't know what to promise as far as interactivity. I can say that I hope it gets a little more challenging to move through the chapters. But the graphics are awesome and there are a lot of factual tidbits in there that are way fun--things that didn't make it into the books. And soon I believe there will actually be ebooks and the like. For now, though, you can learn about all the different woods wands are made of and the qualities they give the wand, and also about the tendencies of different cores. There's more information on side characters and back stories for secondary characters.
You brew, you cast spells, and you explore the books with a click of your mouse. It's good times!
As beta testers, we're all still stuck on book1. I have a feeling we'll be there until everyone gets on because THIS IS A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING! Seriously. It took her 17 years to write the books, but now to turn it all into a massive, interactive graphic novel where every plays a part?
Holy cow.
Anyway, this is just for those of you who may have questions. Here are answers to the main questions I had before I got on:

How soon can I get on? I don't know that the date has been announced, but one thing you should be prepared for: you will NOT get on Pottermore the day you register for it. You will register and then wait for an owl to deliver a letter letting you known that you can log in. In my case, this literally took 6 painful weeks.
How do we pick our names?You don't. Not really. When you register, you will be provided with about 5 options for what your name may be. This is a protection against inappropriate names that are not child friendly. You will be able to pick one of these names, and this will be your online name on the site.
Do we pick the wand, or does the wand really pick us?The wand picks you. It does this by having you answer some questions. Your answers will decide your wand.
How will I be sorted? Basically using a brief personality test. It asks you questions until your answers predominantly fall in one house. Some questions you can see through, others not so much. They are not typical personality questions, so some may confuse you as to how they actually sort you. You can either try to answer the questions the way you think will get you sorted how you want to be sorted, or you can follow your gut and just see where it leads. Your call. (another note about being Slytherin: one perk? Merchandise for your house is never out of stock :) I just went to the London market for a Slytherin banner. It was literally the only house banner in stock, there were a dozen of them, and they were 50% off. Lol. Gotta love it!)
Let's see, what other questions did I have?... I can't think of more, but I hope this post answers some of your burning question! And if you plan on joining, I look forward to seeing you at Hogwarts!
For more information, check out this article from the Leaky Cauldron:

The Best Moment of the Emmys Goes to...

I don't know how many of you happened to catch the Emmys, but if you only see one part of it, my vote would be that this was the winning moment of the evening.
I would like to take this moment to thank these women for proving over the past couple of years that women can be funny. I love how they took this moment into their own hands :)

Enjoy!

Seeking Playlist Submissions

I'm one of those authors who has to write to a playlist. There is no right and wrong way to enter your personal writing zone. Some people need complete silence or to go rent a hotel room and write in a foreign atmosphere.

I need music.

Even if it's only one song on loop, I need a playlist for sustained writing. I hear the songs the first couple times they play, but after about ten minutes, the playlist swirls into white noise and creates the ambiance and mood of what I'm writing.

I'm currently working on two books. One is the fifth Rhea book and the other is an urban fantasy novel. Both need soundtracks. The urban fantasy has one song, but Rhea has NONE (which is also why her book isn't coming along as fast as the urban fantasy novel).

The fact that I'm not finding any music for Rhea indicates to me that the music might be found outside of my usual music resources. I know that it's upbeat/acton music. There is a ton of action in book 5 in addition to other tension, so I'm looking for music that doesn't quite let you relax.

For the urban fantasy, I'm thinking video games might have the music I'm looking for. I'm looking for a contemporary-classical sound without being cheesy. Epic. Only one song has made it for sure on the list, and I think I've listened to it on loop for at least twenty hours. It's time to add a new dynamic to the mix.

So... Any suggestions for either book? :)

Current urban fantasy playlist of one:

FB Status Updates That Made Me Smile Today

I hope you can read this one. True comedy is always found in poor translations.





For real?



From a friend on the East Coast (earthquake). Can we make this into a postcard? PLEASE???

How Did I Not Know About This Before?

Rhea would so be into this. Not any time in the next two books, mind you, but fast forward a few years, and totally!

Ready to Believe Your Eyes?

While counting down to Wendy Paul's launch party tonight, I tripped over this:







Isn't it amazing how we process things in relationship with what surrounds them, thus creating perception?

Are You Ready for Decadence?

Some of you may have noticed that I'm not one of those authors who reviews other people's books. I always think it's great when other authors do it, but there's just something in me that resists when asked. It's been a long time since I read a book for enjoyment--or seen a movie, for that matter--and it just seems unfair to review books that I'm reading for technical reasons.

But there are exceptions. And one of them just happens to be cookbooks.

If you haven't yet made a Wendy Paul recipe in your home, then you've probably never made a key lime pie or rootbeer float cupcake in ten minutes. It's possible you've never laid out two dozen cupcakes in front of women who were on diets, only to watch them disappear in an hour. It's possible you've never made cookies that you sampled until you were in a sugar coma.

And if you don't pick up Wendy's new book, you may never know how absolutely amazing a cake bite can be.



I was lucky. I got to try Wendy's cake bites as far back as last December--delectable little mini-cakes that are about as big around as the circle you make when you connect your pointer finger and your thumb into a circle.

Amazing. Rich. The life of a party.

I've done more than one book signing with Wendy Paul, and I'm not sure whose books I've sold more of. As a person who doesn't like to spend time in the kitchen, Wendy won my heart with 101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes. As a person with friends with various dietary needs, she gave me awesome cookie recipes for cookies for all types of diets in 101 Gourmet Cookies for Everyone. And with 101 Gourmet Cake Bites for All Occasions, I know for a fact that those recipes are worth the extra time in the kitchen. I've shared Wendy's cake bites with some of the most elitist bakers I know, and without fail their eyebrows shoot up and something along the lines of "Wow!" shoots out of their mouths.

And that's why I'm giving a copy away. I know you'll love it that much. Winning is easy:

#1- Follow this blog (so I can contact you if you win)#2-On Facebook and/or Twitter (one entry each) tweet/post "The cake bite cookbook I want the most: http://bit.ly/pEHbTc " and tag me so that I see the post.

It's that easy!

You'll notice that the link is for the book launch of 101 Gourmet Cake Bites for All Occasions, and yes, you ARE cordially invited! I'll be there. So will Wendy, and it will be a great time with great people. So feel free to get some friends together August 20th and join me at an amazing cake bite party that will get you excited to bake!

A Woman's View with Amanda Dickson

I love Amanda Dickson. For those of you who live in Utah, you can listen to her on KSL talk radio every morning from 5-9.
Now that's a woman who loves her job! I think she shows up at 3:30 am, or something. I asked her once and she answered, but the answer was such a shock to my system that I have since blocked it. But it's either 3:30 am or something equally ridiculous.
Hat's off to you, Amanda.
Anyway, going on Amanda's show is always a good mental check in--and a good reminder for me that I should practice my "on air" manners more often. There's always one question--one conversation, where I wish I could rewind time and reframe how I say something.
This week I totally wish I could press rewind on several of the conversations, but they were good conversations to have. And maybe the things I said that come out wrong will actually inspire conversation... that's one way to add a silver lining, right?
One of the topics Amanda brought up an Iranian woman who pardoned the man who threw acid on her face, blinding and disfiguring her. The conversation was centered on the impact a person can have through forgiveness, both on others and themselves. During the conversation I'm kind of mean on the subject of personal injury lawyers, and the entitlement Americans feel when they experience pain that can be blamed on another. Except I don't say it that well. I'm pretty ineloquent. I kind of label personal injury lawyers as "Do you hate your neighbor? We can help!" proponents. That's what happens when I try to make points quickly... but point being this: This news story points out that she was coached to forgive the man his sentence to show the world that Iranians are good people, which kind of makes it seem political, but let's take that out of the equation.
What do you think about this form of justice? Do you agree with the decision this woman made to let her attacker walk free without punishment? Do you think the man should be punished in another way that is not so "eye for an eye"? Or do you think the original punishment was appropriate?
I ask this question with other cases in mind. Forgiveness is a beautiful thing, but there is a point where it seems appropriate to make sure criminals aren't allowed to repeat their behaviors.
I hope the comment feature on blogger is working again, because I would really love all your thoughts on this. As anyone who listens to A Woman's View this Sunday will discern, I'm still feeling this subject out, because I just don't know.
On my side, I like to forgive, but I can imagine that stance changes dramatically once you have child to protect and provide for. What I could forgive someone for doing to me, I may prosecute to the fullest extent of the law should I have a child. For example, I've had dogs bite and injure me and left the owners with only with feedback as to how to prevent a similar occurrence in the future.
But is it the right choice? To leave the instance unreported? What if that dog does bite again? A kid maybe, or another dog, or a person, and there is no record of previous violent behavior by the dog.
Did I play a role in the second attack by choosing to "forgive" and sending the message that being a non-vigilant dog owner does not have repercussions?
I've looked back on many instances in my life where I chose "forgiveness" while watching the other person's relief to avoid accountability. But did they learn anything? Did this Iranian man learn anything? Does he feel the impact of being saved the same fate he inflicted on another, or just the relief of not being punished? Will he victimize again, overtly or covertly?
At what point is punishment merited?
I don't know. That's why I'm asking.
What have you experienced when it comes to the balance of mercy and justice? When is mercy appropriate, and when do we throw the book and someone and then bury them with it? At what point are crimes protected by religious beliefs or "harmless" appetites, and at what point to values become universal?
I hope the comment feature is back up, but be sure to copy your text before you press enter so you won't lose it if blogger is being lame.
I look forward to your thoughts :)

Totally on Team Sasha

From Season 1 of So You Think You Can Dance, I've been in love with the show. In my little opinion, that's what reality TV should be. It's not so much a competition as a celebration of a common love. The dancers are a tight-knit group who cheer for each other, and nearly everyone walks away with a career in the industry, based not only on the exposure they received, but on the merit of thousands upon thousands of dedicated dancing they've put in over the years.
In nearly every case, each dancer on this show has every reason to have a career in dance.
It's awesome.
Even better? Each year the dancers seem to be a step up from the year before. It's kind of freaky, really.
I've had made favorite this year, as she's made it thus far in the competition. She may not be the most technically superior dancer, but she moves as if she can't help but dance and I LOVE watching her. She just can't help but dance, and it makes some part of me very, very happy to watch.
So here's me sending my vote into the universe for Sasha. And if you don't watch So You Think You Can Dance, I totally, totally recommend it.
Feel free to check out some of Sasha's performances below as a sampler, and watch other performances on Fox.com or youtube. SO worth it!