Marni Bates's Blog, page 8

How Marni Met Ellen (DeGeneres)!!!

Hey everyone!

Yesterday, my toughest 2012 resolution came true!

I met Ellen DeGeneres!!!!!!

Okay, deep breath. Here's how it happened:

My lovely (and incredibly talented) friend Nina Berry works at Warner Brothers by day and writes novels by night. I know, she's pretty much a superhero.

I wanted to find out whether Nina's as awesome in person as she is on Twitter (Answer: heck yes! You can follow her at @NinaBerry) so we agreed to meet at the Warner Brothers lot in Burbank.

Four buses and a metro ride later, I was clutching my special pass and trying to pretend that I wasn't an Oregonian gaping at Hollywood in all it's splendor. I understand that most people wouldn't describe Burbank, LA as awe-inspiring but . . . that's how I saw it.

Everyone was super nice too! I showed up to my lunch date crazy early (because I was paranoid that I'd get lost and end up in Compton or something) so I wandered around and met lots of interesting people. I peeked at the gutted remains of the Chuck set . . . and then I chatted with the crew on the set of Are You There, Chelsea who are all excited about their premier. Best of luck, guys! Hope it gets picked up!

I even ran into someone from my hometown Ashland, Oregon! He graduated from my high school two years before me! So completely random.

And at one point I was mistaken for a movie star. That made me feel pretty darn good.

But let's fast forward a bit to the good parts, shall we?

I met up with Nina at the commissary for lunch and we proceeded to discuss YA fiction and writing and Buffy and about a billion other things. We shared writing pet peeves and had an absolutely wonderful time. Talking to Nina had me wanting to start hunting for an apartment here. So . . . yes, I do think a move is in my future.

Once I finish up with my degree.

But Nina had to get back to work, so I bid her a fond goodbye and continued my wandering.

Which is when it happened.

Okay, so I knew I was "wandering" in the direction of the set of The Ellen Show. But I didn't really expect to see her. And I figured that even if I did catch a glimpse, I wouldn't want to interrupt because she's a very busy woman who probably has to deal with hyperventilating fans every single day.

So I was just going to go over there and chat with her security guard. Honest.

Fun fact: the security guards at Warner Brothers are really nice. I'm sure they are also highly effective at their job. But being on security didn't prevent them from being friendly and I appreciated that.

Anyhow, I was chatting with someone about California weather when I looked over and . . .  there was Ellen DeGeneres.

And I mean right there. We're talking about a distance of a few feet and she appeared to be waiting for someone.

That someone was definitely not me.

But I wasn't about to walk away from this kind of opening. I was too close to my unattainable goal to chicken out. I've been mentally preparing myself for this precise moment for . . . oh I dunno, YEARS!

Yes, I know that makes me the most ridiculous geek.

But whatever.

So I walk over with this ridiculous grin on my face. The one I get when I'm so incredibly excited about something my Italian genes make a surprise appearance and I find myself with flailing arms that refuse to settle.

I have a feeling it looked something like this:

So with that euphoric/disbelieving grin plastered on my face, my feet carried me over to her and my brain . . . stalled.

Gone were all the polished pre-prepared speeches I imagined delivering ever since I wrote Awkward. Instead she got this:

Me: Hi! I'm a big fan. I wrote you into my novel. Um, HI!

Ellen: Hi.

Me: I think you're amazing. And, wow . . . I thought I'd play it cool. I'm not playing it cool.

(Hands start shaking uncontrollably.)

And then Ellen laughed in a really nice way. There wasn't even a trace of Oh-God-here-it-goes-again. Just a friendly sound that made my hands shake even more because I just made Ellen DeGeneres laugh!

I swear, I was even thinking in italics.

And then I told her a little bit about Awkward but it was a little hard to talk given that I was trembling and all I could think was: Ellen DeGeneres. Ellen DeGeneres. Ellen DeGeneres.

So I sort of made it sound like she had actually interviewed my fictional main character. Which obviously, she didn't. Anyhow once we got that cleared up, I mentioned I started a campaign to get on her show. And then she explained that she has only had one other writer on her show before (Jonathan Safran Foer) and that unless Awkward becomes a huge hit, it wasn't likely I'd make it on the show.

Which just means that everyone should go out and buy a copy of Awkward!

And I nodded because at that point, I didn't really much care whether I made it on the show or not. I had just told a woman that I greatly admire that she inspired part of my novel. Best of all, she was every bit as nice as I had always hoped she would be. So I thanked her and then asked for a photo.

Then I looked like a complete dork when I whipped out my laptop so I could take it on Photo Booth.

Marni Bates with Ellen DeGeneres. Still can't believe it actually happened.

Then she had to go back to work so we said goodbye and I proceeded to call every member of my family.

And I snapped just a few more photos for all of you to enjoy:

I'm on Ellen!

And that's my grand Ellen adventure!

If you want to relive the Get Marni On Ellen Campaign, here's the music video I made:

And if you haven't seen the Awkward Book Trailer I made, you should really check it out here!

I should probably get back to my writing now!

~Marni

2012 Resolutions, Awkward, and Ellen DeGeneres!

Hey everyone!

So, I didn't technically do anything to ring in 2012. No crazy parties. No funny hats. Heck, I didn't even stay up until midnight. I crashed at 5pm because my jetlag coming back from Africa absolutely flattened me.

But 2012 may very well go down as the best year in Marni History.

For a few reasons, actually. 2012 is the year I will graduate from college. It's the year that I will make all sorts of big exciting decisions (like where I want to live and what I want to do professionally). It's also going to be the year I finally learn how to drive!

Unless I can convince someone to drive me around in one of these, of course!

But I'm sure when I look back at 2012, the first thing to come to mind will always be that on January 1st, my debut YA novel AWKWARD was released!!!!

HOORAY!!!!!

See, that's the best way to kick off a year.

It doesn't feel real. I know that my book is in stores…sitting on shelves in Barnes & Noble just waiting to be purchased…and yet, every time I read a review it comes as a shock that someone else has read it. That Mackenzie, Logan, Jane, Corey, Chelsea and the rest of the gang no longer belong exclusively to me. And I'm thrilled because I've wanted to share them for quite awhile now.

So to celebrate the release of Awkward, I created a book trailer!

Feel free to comment and share it with others! The more the merrier!

Creating this video was one of my 2012 resolutions and I'm incredibly pleased that I can cross one thing off the list. Here's the rest of my goals:

Resolution 1: Get on the Ellen DeGeneres show.

That's right. I haven't given up. Sure, I hoped that Ellen would see my YouTube video and call me up right away.



But it's okay. I understand. She's an incredibly busy woman. That doesn't mean I'm going to give up the dream. If I had allowed rejection to faze me, I wouldn't have a four book deal now. In fact, I wouldn't have even bothered writing Awkward. What's the point if I was destined for rejection?


Well, now it's out in stores.


So Ellen DeGeneres: I will be on your show in 2012.


I hope.


Call me.


Resolution 2: Finish college.

I think that one is pretty self-explanatory. I'm definitely looking forward to having that ridiculously expensive piece of paper clutched in my fist. You know, the one that says I've got a degree in English. Which should really help me become an author! Wait a second…


Resolution 3: Learn to drive.

But I already mentioned that. Moving on!


Resolution 4: Be more health conscious.

This also seems pretty self-explanatory. Eating better…working out…all that stuff I keep meaning to do, but don't.


Resolution 5: Write three novels.

A lofty goal, I know. But I have a new idea for a series that I'm super excited about writing. I can't reveal anything yet, but I'll be sure to keep everyone posted on my progress.

Resolution 6: Be happy.

I feel quite confident that this resolution isn't going to be hard for me to maintain. Even without the release of Awkward, I'd be happy because my life includes so many wonderful people who inspire me every single day.

So I wish you all a very happy 2012!

Love,

Marni

Marni On Safari: Serengeti-Style!

Hey everyone,

I am in the most beautiful place on earth. I admit, I had my doubts about Africa before I came. Mainly because I had to get a boatload of shots and the woman who gave them to me kept insisting that I would experience all sorts of awful side effects. That part of the process was so freaking stressful and expensive that it made the idea of returning home after finals sound awfully tempting.

But now I am so glad I chose to travel with my family.

On the road in Kenya.

Not that some parts of it haven't been rough. Yesterday we were supposed to drive from Kenya into Tanzania in a completely doable three hour long journey. Excellent plan. It would have been absolutely perfect if it weren't for the fact that our bridge was washed out by recent rain. Our three hour drive became fourteen hours. Now, one of the problems with traveling as a family is that everyone inevitably acts half their age. So for almost this entire fourteen hour drive I was stuck behind two of my cousins (24 and 21 years old) who kept punching each other. Hours and hours of listening to:

"Hey!"

"Stop hitting yourself! Stop hitting yourself!"

"Cut it out."

Bam! Whap!

"OWWW!!!!"

"You jerk."

"Don't be a wimp."

I think you catch my drift. To top it off, one of my cousins had some gastrointestinal issues. Let's just say that the lions could smell us coming.

But now I am in paradise.

I am "tenting" at The Soroi (located in the Serengeti, Tanzania)!

Yeah, if this is tenting, I'm down to do this any day of the week!

Here's my shower:

That's right: I'm going to be bathing with this as my view:

Right above the freaking Serengeti!

I have wireless Internet too!

So…now I think I'll leave you with a few last photos while I enjoy the lightning display over the land and nibble on popcorn.

All of these blobs are very happy members of my family.

I'd love to hear about your travel experiences? Have you ever gone somewhere that you never wanted to leave?

~Marni

 

Marni on Safari!

Hey everyone,

I am in Africa! That's right: I took all of my finals at Lewis & Clark College early so that I could go on vacation with my family. So now I'm in Kenya and even though I'm exhausted, I will do my best to fill everyone in on my most recent ridiculous adventures.

I guess I should begin with my very up close and personal experience with some giraffes on my very first day in Nairobi.

There was some serious kissing!

Let me explain: giraffes love food pellets so much that as long as you put one in your mouth (and keep your lips firmly closed) it's like letting a dog lick your face. Except, you know…it's a giraffe!

Apparently they have very sanitary mouths, which is excellent because I was slobbered all over. I enjoying it immensely and would highly recommend the experience. Definitely keep your mouth shut though.

Then the next day I went to a baby elephant orphanage and it was every bit as adorable as it sounds. I got to pet baby elephants–one of which was only four weeks old.

And then my whole family piled into two jeeps and bounced around on rocky roads for five hours until we reached Masai Mara (where I am currently writing this post). It's gorgeous here. Over 1000km of protected land where I have seen the warthogs and the antelope play. One of the biggest highlights for me was seeing a cheetah on the drive to the hotel. It was about seven feet away from me and without the aid of binoculars I could see every windblown tuft of hair on him. Or her…not too good at distinguishing genders yet. Another highlight was being surrounded by a herd of elephants and today I saw an endangered black rhino as well as a pride of lions!

The cuteness factor here is ridiculous. Even the baby warthogs have me cooing over them. I will prove it by uploading photos…eventually. In the meantime, if you want to follow my adventures I'll be tweeting the highlights (MarniBates is my handle) at #MarniOnSafari.

I'm running out of Internet time but I'll be sure to post more soon!

Sincerely,

Marni

The Get Marni On Ellen Campaign Starts Now!

Hey everyone!

Remember that TOP SECRET project I've been working on? Well, it's here.

I have just launched the Get Marni On Ellen Campaign!

HOORAY!

That's right: the girl who has never campaigned for any position EVER has now set her Santa hat at landing a spot on The Ellen Show!

But I'm going for it, because I have wanted to meet Ellen for quite some time now. Throughout high school (when I was alone…usually) I would have whole imaginary conversations with her.

"Well, Ellen," I'd say, "I'm okay with being one of the biggest geeks at Ashland High School. Really. Because I went on to do Something of Great Importance which is why you are talking to me now!"

I had no clue what my Something of Great Importance could be . . . but I still had regular interview sessions with her. And putting high school in the past tense (even if it was only in my head) made it easier to handle in the present.

So when I was writing AWKWARD (*Spoiler Alert*) the scene where Ellen interviews Kenzie was one of the easiest to write. I just watched a boatload of her interviews on YouTube for "research" and suddenly I had Ellen in Awkward!

There are a whole host of reasons I wrote her into my novel. And I will admit, the thought that this could be my Something Great of Importance definitely crossed my mind. But the honest to goodness truth, is that for Kenzie to face her fear of the spotlight there had to be someone seriously awesome right next to her onstage. And I knew instinctively that was Ellen.

Ellen always strikes me as sincere. I have never felt like she was capitalizing on a tragedy to score points with the audience. And when she talks to celebrities about the pressures in their lives, she lets them voice the reality of their situations. She doesn't cut them off or railroad them into a lie or splice scenes so that it looks more controversial. I find all of that truly commendable. If I felt that the news covered subjects with the same amount of heart as Ellen, I'd watch it more often.

And, yes, I think it is absolutely fantastic that she is openly gay. Maybe it's not fair to idealize celebrity relationships, but when I look at Portia and Ellen it makes me feel good about the direction our world is headed. I was thrilled when they were allowed to get married. I was way more excited about that than I was for William and Kate's wedding. Because, fair or not, I was able to hug some very important people and say, "See! It is possible to be gay and loved and happy and married and AWESOME!"

I feel very strongly that this is a message that needs to be repeated at a VERY LOUD VOLUME!

Because it's true.

And I thought that if certain characters were to ever come out of the closet, the Ellen Show is the safest place for that to happen.

So . . . that's why I wrote her into my novel. And I hope I get the chance to tell her all of this in person.

So please support my Get Marni On Ellen Campaign! Watch my video here: ! And please be sure to "like" it, Tweet it, and Facebook share it!

More Soon!

~Marni

EXCITING THINGS . . . Will Be Here Soon!

Hey everyone,

So I have to keep something underwraps right now. Which is super hard for me because I have a ginormous mouth and have already told a bunch of people about it. But I shouldn't have done it. So for those of you who know what I'm referring to . . . zip it!

This is an excellent representation of how I feel right now.

But I wanted to give everyone a heads up because I don't want anyone to miss my Very Exciting Thing once I'm free to talk about it.

It really is this exciting:

And, no, I am not talking about anything school-related. Especially not right now when I have a thesis due this week and all I have to show for it is a four page rough draft. Yeah, classy.

Why, Henry James? WHY!!!!

Anyhoo . . . so my plans for today? I'm going to write my thesis! And work on my TOP SECRET PROJECT. But I'll be sure to try to schedule in some sleep . . . maybe over Thanksgiving?

This turkey and I have a lot on common. Both so scared of upcoming events (Me: thesis. Turkey: dinner) that we are speechless.

But I'll be sure to keep you all in the loop, just as soon as I get the all clear!

More later!

~Marni

Birthday-ish Blog!

Hey everyone!

I am officially 22!!!!!

I had an absolutely fantastic birthday! Actually, I got the whole Birthday Celebration kicked off early with a visit from my mom. I showed her around Portland, which translates to the two of us wandering around looking at art and drinking copious amounts of Starbucks. My definition of a perfect day.

 

My lovely mom. Without her support, I wouldn't have my writing career. Or, you know…life.

Then on my actual birthday I went out for dinner with some friends, which inevitably led us to Powells. And then when my friend Laura asked me to introduce her to the world of romance novels…well, things got a little crazy.

See, when I'm excited my Italian genes kick in and I can't stop making sweeping hand gestures. Which is how I nearly smacked my friend Emily in the face.

To be fair: I was telling them about Tessa Dare's latest, A Night to Surrender, which was unbelievably good. So when I was explaining about the sheep bombing, I might have gotten a bit overenthusiastic.

Fun side-story: I tweeted about how much I loved this book and then Tessa Dare tweeted me back. And I freaked out. I reacted like a twelve year old Justin Bieber fan at a concert. Lots of squealing. And then I stared at my Twitter screen and repeated, "I am not worthy."

Erm, so I need to work on that. Otherwise when I eventually meet these authors at the RWA conference, it's just going to be embarrassing.

Anyhow, I had a fantastic night out with my friends and I spent my birthday in a little cocoon of happiness.

So it was hard to go Isaac's memorial service the next day…but I'm glad that I did. The service was absolutely beautiful. There were chess pieces surrounding the chapel and  near the end of the service everyone replaced them with a lit candle. So now I have a pawn dangling off my backpack and the memory of being surrounded by the glow of all those candles.

Best of all, I got a real sense of closure from the service. So it's pretty much back to life as usual for me. Thank goodness!

Now I can focus on important things…like erm, Twitter?

Sigh. Sadly I think the correct response to that is actually "my Henry James thesis paper."

Then again, I'm discussing (at length) the phallic imagery in Henry James's The Portrait of a Lady so I don't think it's going to be as boring as I once feared. Plus now I can discuss male genitalia in public while pretending to be classy. Of course, I think I lost classy points when I grabbed a friend from class in the cafeteria and began crowing, "It's a penis! I get it now! IT ALL MAKES SENSE! How did I miss that keys are codes for penises throughout the whole freaking novel?"

I'll be sure to post my thesis here once it's finished so I can try to redeem myself with all of you classy people.

Wow, Henry James was way cuter than I expected!

Although, after going to see David Sedaris I'm not so worried about my class-o-meter. I feel like as long as I don't discuss people pooping in their hands, I'm doing okay. I have to say, I really dislike it when people say the crudest things they can think of for a cheap laugh. I'm generally not laughing if that's all you've got.

I prefer really sophisticated humor, like tripping and food-related accidents.

And on that note, I need to get some breakfast!

More Later!

~Marni

 

Life and Death Situation

Hey everyone!

(This is one of my darker blog posts but hang in there. I think it's worth it.)

Two weeks ago I found out my friend Isaac was dead.

And I didn't see it coming. Nobody expected it because it was a random accident that could happen to anyone at anytime. I still don't know much beyond the fact that he was skateboarding in Portland and then…then he was in a hospital and he didn't wake up.

Now you see him…now you don't.

And when I was told via Facebook and clicked on his page and saw all those rest in peace messages, I didn't believe it. I just stared at the screen and thought, wow, what a completely un-funny joke. 

Then I figured out it wasn't a joke at all.

I didn't know Isaac very long but he was an incredible human being. He tutored me every week for my Perspectives in Mathematics class last year. Well, that's not entirely true. He had certain hours at the Math Skill Center and I memorized them because I knew Isaac would make even the most daunting of my assignments fun. Since I got an A- in the course, I can say with some confidence that Isaac worked miracles.

I think we became friends that first day when we played checkers on a torus. I oh-so-charmingly tried to psych him out and kept insisting that I was messing with his head.

Then I informed the professor that I was "kicking the T.A.'s ass!"

I miss Isaac.

I didn't see him on a regular basis but I found it comforting to know that he was around. He was one of the good guys that redeemed his gender on the rare occasions when I felt bitter and cynical. So when I discovered my lovable safety net had been cut down, I didn't know how to handle it.

Denial soon became a good friend of mine…until I moved into grief. Crying helped but it wasn't enough. I needed a way to avoid the pain. That's when I immersed myself in romance novels. Dozens of them.

Note to self: romance novels can't actually raise the dead.

I'm doing better now, partly because I went to see one of the therapists on campus. I'm trying to be grateful that beyond the death of my grandpa this is the first loss I've ever experienced firsthand. What has helped me the most is my firm belief that Isaac now has the answers to all his questions about the universe. I keep repeating that to myself. And I think I'm handling the loss.

But it's hard to get excited about my birthday when I know that his funeral will be the very next day.

I guess in a seriously messed up way, it's a nice reminder that life and death are intimately connected. You know, if by "nice" I meant "terrifying, horrible, rip-your-heart-out nightmare" instead.

Still, I think it is important to live each day to the fullest.

So I'm trying to write again: something I've been struggling to do since he died. And I'm doing my very best to appreciate this extraordinary, precious, fragile existence of mine to the fullest extent.

I have a feeling Isaac would approve.

More later!

Marni

Victoria Dahl Book Review

Hey everyone!

So…for all you newcomers, I signed up for this amazing thing called NetGalley. Here's the premise: if you promise to review books you get to read them FOR FREE!

Here's the link: NetGalley!

Yeah, I signed up real fast when I heard that last part.

And even though I knew that trying to read Victoria Dahl's latest series (Good Girls Don't, Bad Boys Do, Real Men Will) all in one night was a BAD IDEA…I did it anyway. Which had everyone staring at me the next day because apparently I resembled a sleep-deprived zombie.

So worth it though.

Quick warning: these books have content that might not be for everyone. As in, if you know that romance novels make you uncomfortable feel free to skip this review. But keep in mind that not every one of my posts (or even reviews) will be a romance novel. So don't let this keep you away!!!

Now let me tell you the premise:

The Donovan siblings (Tessa, Jamie and Eric) own a brewery.

Yeah, I'm just messing with you. There's a lot more to it than that (insert evil chuckle) although I did enjoy the central role that the brewery plays in all three books.

Tessa is the youngest and she was fourteen when their parents died in a car accident. She has been trying her hardest to keep the family together ever since—not an easy task since her two brothers can't stop squabbling.

Now, I really didn't expect this to be my favorite book in the series. Based on the excerpts I had read on Victoria Dahl's website (link is right here! Check it out: Victoria Dahl!) I expected bad boy brother Jamie would be my favorite. But I actually thought Tessa's story was the best in the series. Her Twitter antics and her expletive of choice (balls!) kept me entertained. And even though she only complicates a break-in at the brewery, I was rooting for her and sexy detective Luke Asher to get together.

Out of the brothers…I've got to admit, I liked Jamie more. The bad boy with a really bad rap (that he may not deserve) Jamie is the kind of guy you, ahem, casually stalk notice when you happen to stop by his place of employment. A lot.

Jamie is the black sheep of the family. And because he, erm, slept with the daughter of a very important client, his siblings aren't exactly happy with him. In fact, they're pissed that he appears to have trouble keeping it in his pants.

But they've got him all wrong!

It's only when he meets Miss Olivia that he really can't keep it in his pants. But she's not complaining.

I will admit that the whole, I only mess up because my siblings won't give me a chance shtick got a little old. But I really enjoyed Jamie when he was in his element at the brewery. And Olivia is great. Especially when she tries to fit in at the book club/kilt-observing meeting.

Which brings us to big brother Eric…

Okay, this is definitely one of the steamiest books Dahl has ever written but…it's not my favorite. Perhaps because I started from the very beginning with her novella Just One Taste in The Guy Next Door anthology.

To be fair: starting with a novella is a pretty bold move. I mean, you can't get the characters together but you have to leave the reader super psyched to see them get it on (again) and fall in love. My problem was…they were a little too "It's been fun! Have a nice life!" for my taste. Especially since I didn't get what was stopping them from enjoying each other's naked company on a regular basis. Beth it the manager of an erotica shop…so what? It's not like she's having threesomes on a regular basis (although her friend certainly is). And I really didn't get why Beth would be embarrassed to introduce a preppy guy who works at a bar to her unconventional friends.

Honestly, I think she could have told them about where his hands happened to venture during their first date and they'd be high-fiving and cheering.

So…the lack of conflict bothered me. In fact, I think that was the largest flaw for the series: too much bickering, not enough action.

That said: I honestly enjoyed the series.

Victoria Dahl is an irreverent person who can get you laughing so hard it hurts. I think I prefer her historical books to her contemporary ones though. She excels at writing strong women who are sexual and intend to stay that way. I think setting that in a time period that tries to restrain them actually plays well to her skill set.

I thought she did a fantastic job with A Little Bit Wild.

But on the off chance that you are like me and tend to enjoy contemporary romance novels more…I'd suggest Crazy For Love.

These books got me hooked on Victoria Dahl. So hooked that I now stalk follow her on Twitter. And now one of my goals in life is to join Victoria Dahl and Zoe Archer at a girl's night out.

Next book review: Doug Rees' The Juliet Spell.

So stay tuned!

More later!

~Marni

Catch Up!

Hey everyone,

Well…I'm back in school! In fact, I've been a bit distracted lately (mainly by school) which is why I've been a lazy blogger. But no longer, friends! Still, why don't I recap?

So, I had an AMAZING time in Texas. One of the highlights was definitely riding around on the back of my cousin's vespa. A guy in a Beamer even offered to race us (an offer I immediately accepted) so that was exciting. I also crashed a party at Rice University where the theme was: Don't Mess with Texas.

They were foolishly giving out squirt guns and badges.

So naturally, my cousin and I were instantly armed combatants. Don't worry, y'all: I kicked her ass.

Sort of.

Anyhow, one of the other highlights was spending time with my good friend Stephanie. I hadn't seen her in roughly four years, so you could say this visit was long overdue. She decided I needed an authentic Texas experience.

Which led to this:

And then to this….

Go Rams! Or…longhorns? GO TEXAS FOOTBALL TEAM WHOSE NAME I CAN'T REMEMBER!!!

This is my best impression of sports spirit.

Anyhow, Texas was fantastic but it was a relief to escape the humidity. Portland is gorgeous right now and I definitely appreciated being able to walk outside without feeling like I just entered a sauna.

It really does feel good to be back. I'll be sure to post pictures of my dorm room soon….once I clean it again.

And just when I thought life couldn't get better at Lewis & Clark (because I've been able to see so many of my amazing, gorgeous, brilliant and talented friends) a special something arrived in the mail….

AWKWARD!!!!!

I have my Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs)!!!! They are so insanely beautiful that I couldn't resist carrying a copy everywhere I went. Part of me felt like if it wasn't in my hands at all time it would disappear.

BUT I STILL HAVE THEM!

Can you tell that I'm excited?

This leads me to a very exciting announcement: if you live in Portland, have a blog and are willing to pass on AWKWARD after you read it…you can have an ARC!

I know, there should be no strings attached. But I REALLY need help spreading the excitement of AWKWARD into the the blogosphere. And the Twitterverse. And Facebooklandia. So I'll be sure to announce when AWKWARD hits NetGalley so that everyone can review it.

In the meantime: Portland people! Hit me up!

I have to admit: it's pretty tough to beat out an ARC for exciting news but I am definitely looking forward to being the proud parent of three fish! Right now they are recovering from a fish disease called ick (I'm not making this up. At first I was tempted to tell the Fish Lady that I suffer from ick too. Primarily when people serve me food that I really don't want to eat) but soon they'll live with me!

I've set the aquarium up in anticipation.

And that's about it for now. I should probably start my homework now…you know, since it's due in 9 hours….

More later!

~Marni