Sybil Nelson's Blog, page 7
March 20, 2012
Tuesday Tunes: Gotye
I can't get this song out of my head. I love it so much. Check it out:
The thing is, I love the original, but I also love this parody. Check it out:
The thing is, I love the original, but I also love this parody. Check it out:
March 3, 2012
Sample Sunday: Priscilla the Great Book Two
Chapter 30Pregnancy Scare
I spent hours sitting by the stream near my house thinking. No matter how much I thought, I couldn't make any sense of my life. I couldn't figure out how I could care so much about two different boys at the same time. I couldn't decide who I liked more. And I couldn't figure out how to make Kyle forgive me for what he saw. I even asked the cereal box for help. Believe it or not, it didn't respond.Finally, I gave up and made my way home. When I got to the house, I found my dad pacing the living room like a raging bull. I thought he would explode at any second. I was really tired and I kinda just wanted to plop on my bed and sleep for a couple of days or whatever, but something was obviously bothering my dad."I knew I shouldn't have bought you that bra. It all started with the bra, didn't it?" he said, still pacing. He hadn't even let me enter the room all the way."Dad, what are you talking about?" I said, shutting the front door behind me."You're only thirteen years old! You are not ready for this. I'm not ready for this." My dad clutched his bald head in what seemed like frustration or anger or... I don't really know. I was too confused."Ready for what?" He was really starting to freak me out. It was like he was talking to me, but not really talking to me at the same time."It's Kyle's, isn't it?" He eyed the box of cereal I still held in my hands. He charged over to me, snatched the box out of my hand and ripped it in half. Mini Frosted Funnel Cakes filled the living room. "I'll kill him. I knew we shouldn't have let you date him. What was I thinking? I know what thirteen-year-old boys want. I know how they think," he continued as he started his pacing again, crunching Mini Frosted Funnel Cakes under his feet with each step."You've been stealing the jet to go see him without us knowing, haven't you? That's the only way it could have happened. Or is it Marco? You've been spending a lot of time with him, haven't you? I'll kill him, too, just to be sure."I just stared at him with my mouth open. I had no idea what he was talking about. Had he found out about Kyle seeing me kiss Marco? That still wouldn't make any sense with what he was saying. Why would he need to kill both of them over that?"Answer the question," he said finally."Daddy, you're not making-""Don't talk back to me!" he snapped.Okay, it's official. He had lost his mind. I watched as my father paced back and forth some more. I was too afraid to say anything, so I just approached the couch quietly, brushed some Mini Frosted Funnel Cakes off, and took a seat. I folded my hands in my lap and sat like a polite little girl. He was already planning on killing Kyle and Marco; I didn't want to do anything to make him want to kill me as well.Just then, Josh strolled into the living room. I gave him a panicked look and mouthed the words, "help me.""What's going on?" Josh asked innocently."I found this while taking out the trash in your bathroom," Dad said, holding up a white plastic thingy about the size of a sharpie. I stared at him blankly, still too afraid to move.Josh took one look at the object, spun on his heels and charged out of the living room. What had gotten into him?"Do you know what this is?" Dad asked me.I shrugged. "Nope." I was still trying to find where Josh had run off to. How could he leave me alone with dad acting all crazy and stuff?"Priscilla, look at me when I'm talking to you," he said, trying to make me focus. I turned to face him. I took another look at the object and said, "Dad, I don't know what that is.""It's a pregnancy test. A positive pregnancy test.""Well it's not mine!" I bolted off the couch. "Gross, Dad! You do know someone peed on that, right?"My dad's eyes widened. It was like he was coming out of a dark tunnel and could finally see the light. He had not even considered the possibility that the pregnancy test wasn't mine.He looked back and forth between me and the pregnancy test several times. "It's not yours? Are you sure?""Positive." That probably wasn't the best choice of words, but he got the point. "You know, Josh and I share that bathroom. Maybe it's his.""Are you suggesting your brother's pregnant?""This is the Sumner family, Dad. Stranger things have happened." I held up my hand and lit a flame for emphasis. "You know, Josh does have a girlfriend again. Maybe it's Katya's. Did you even think of that?"My dad turned his head toward the kitchen and called, "Josh!"Josh poked his head out of the door and said, "It's not mine. Don't even go there," before retreating again.My dad shook his head. "It's not Josh's. It's not yours. Who-""I was going to tell you tonight," my mother said as she came into the living room."Quin?" My dad looked at her. She nodded. He crossed the living room in two steps and swept her up into his arms.My mom was having another baby? That's why she had been so sick lately. It was baby hormones and stuff. I had to admit, I was kind of relieved. Though it might get annoying to have another sibling around, it was comforting to know that her crankiness and headaches were due to her pregnancy and not to her returning super powers, as Josh thought.Having another sibling might not be that bad, especially if it turned out to be a girl. Now that would be kind of cool. What wouldn't be cool is another brother. I already had too many of those."I love you so much, Quin," my dad said, hugging her so tightly I was kind of afraid he might squeeze the baby right out of her. "I can't believe you're giving me another baby.""I love you too, Greg."When the crying and old people kisses stopped I tapped them on the shoulders and said, "Excuse me, since you two are spawning, I'd like to put in an order for a girl."
February 25, 2012
Celebrate Black Books Giveaway
For the Celebrate Black Books Giveaway, we're supposed to give away a book with a minority on the cover. So I'm going to give away a copy of Nobody Girl by Leslie DuBois. It's only out as an eBook so I guess I'll give away two copies.
In Nobody Girl, Delia Clark looks black, but she's really not sure what she is or where she comes from. She was found in a dumpster at two months old and then adopted. She grows up lacking self esteem and because of that ends up marrying a loser, Jason. After their divorce, she meets the perfect guy, Chase Donovan. They have a steamy affair, but when school begins in the fall and Delia starts her new job as a teacher, she find out that Chase is one of her students!
Enter now!
Also, sign up to win $50 in books from Amazon.com in Sybil Nelson's giveaway at her blog. Click here!
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February 20, 2012
Congratulations to the Winners!
Congrats to the winners of my Hottest Boys in Books contest!
Linda H. wins a copy of Priscilla the Great Book 4
Margaritka K. wins the Kindle Fire!
Keep checking back for more giveaways! I think I'll giveaway another Kindle Fire when I reach 1000 followers and/or when book 5 of the Priscilla the Great series is released!
Linda H. wins a copy of Priscilla the Great Book 4
Margaritka K. wins the Kindle Fire!
Keep checking back for more giveaways! I think I'll giveaway another Kindle Fire when I reach 1000 followers and/or when book 5 of the Priscilla the Great series is released!
February 19, 2012
Sample Sunday: Priscilla the Great
Chapter 7Waffle Attack
The next morning, I sat in my room minding my own business. Well, kinda minding my own business. I was staring at the Houston house with my binoculars, waiting for Tai to get home, but that's not really spying. She's my best friend and I hadn't seen her in three weeks and I needed to know as soon as she got in because we really needed to talk. I promised myself that I wouldn't use my fire power or super hearing again until I talked to her and we figured some things out. I also wanted to convince my parents I was normal so they wouldn't send me away.In any case, I was completely the victim in an attack from the devil twins. They snuck into my room and nailed me in the head with two frozen waffles. Those little brats had great aim for five-year-olds. Then they ran out of the room laughing. I had to follow them and teach them a lesson. I had no choice. They can't just come into a girl's room unannounced and throw frozen waffles. They got one of my favorite comic books wet. I caught up with Charlie first. I picked him up and threw him on the couch. Then I sat on him and farted. Yeah, I farted. So what? When dealing with little brothers, sometimes you have to get gross. Then I took his shoe laces and tied them around his wrists so that they were like attached to his feet. Unfortunately, Charlie thought this was hilarious, his idea of an awesome Monday morning. He was laughing the whole time. Even when I let him go and he had to hop around the house bent over with his butt sticking up in the air, he was still laughing. I rolled my eyes in disgust and went in search of Chester."Chessie, where are you?" I called sweetly. "I have some candy for you." He didn't fall for it. Those boys were getting smarter every day. If I concentrated hard enough I could probably hear him giggling somewhere in the house. But I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't use my … oh, what the hay.***"Priscilla, what did you do to your brother?" my dad asked a few minutes later while I sat in the window seat of my room."You're gonna have to be more specific than that, Dad. I got too many of them.""What did you do to Chester?" he said slowly, holding back his annoyance with me."Uh, well, let me just say, he totally deserved it.""Priss, he's only five. I don't think anything he could do warrants you tying him to a chair and setting him on the street corner with a sign that says: Take me, I'm free.""Sorry, Dad.""Sorry's not good enough. Now I'll give you a choice. I can ground you for a week or you can make it up to them.""Grounded?" I shrieked, turning to face him for the first time. "But, Dad, they started it!""And I'm finishing it."I sighed. "Fine. I'll take them to the park after school tomorrow.""Thank you," he said, but didn't leave the room. I looked out the window again and continued my stalking of the Houston house. "Is there anything you want to talk about, Priss?" he asked, sitting on my bed. I felt a little uneasy. For the first time in my life, I felt uncomfortable around my dad. I knew for a fact that he had lied to me. I didn't know if I could trust him anymore."Like what, Dad?" I didn't look at him. I just kept staring at Tai's house, willing her to come home."I don't know. What's going on in your life?" He took his glasses off and cleaned them with his tie.He was trying to reach out to me, but I wasn't ready. I didn't know what to think of the conversation I'd overheard the night before. "Just watch her for a few days," my mother had said as if I was some sort of chemistry experiment. I shrugged. "Nothing special." Well, that was the biggest lie ever told."Are you sure? Because a boy called here for you.""Really? Who?" I asked, bolting upright. Was it Spencer? Did he really call me? How'd I miss that? Maybe he called while I was outside tying up Chessie. Maybe he wanted to confirm our date. More likely he suddenly realized what a loser I am and wanted to cancel."Kyle Montgomery," my father said. I rolled my eyes and sat back down at my window seat. "Kyle is not a boy. He's … he's just Kyle.""Well if any young man intends on courting my daughter, he needs to first be properly introduced to me."I laughed. "Daddy, you've known him since he was born. We have a picture of him poking your eye at my second birthday party."Just then, I saw the Houston car pull up."Look, Daddy, if Kyle ever intends to … court me or whatever, I'll definitely let you know, right after I puke." I didn't wait for a response. I dashed out of my bedroom and out of the house. I didn't stop running until I was down the street and in front of Tai's house. I hugged her so hard we both nearly fell over.After the hugging and jumping up and down subsided, Tai grabbed my hand and pulled me inside her house. We pounded the shag carpeted stairs and then entered her bedroom. She locked the door, pulled the curtains shut, and then said, "Okay, show me.""Show you what?" I said, acting confused."Oh, you know what. Show me the fire."She pulled her thick black hair into a bun and slapped on a spare pair of glasses that were on her desk. Then she stared at me, banging her little fists together in anticipation. I hadn't seen her this excited over something since the high school science teacher let her visit the ninth grade biology class and dissect a pig."I don't know what you're talking about," I said, strolling around her bedroom and looking at her collection of books as if I'd never seen them before. Tai didn't have a normal twelve-year-old girl's bedroom. Neither did I, for that matter, but at least my room was fun. Half of my room was dedicated to Marvel comics and the other half to DC comics. Tai's room was just covered with books. And not cool books with pictures or anything. Just thick, boring, brown books with strange titles like Quantum Mechanics and Vector Analysis. And those were the books whose titles I could actually pronounce. Her room reminded me of a psychiatrist's office. Which I guess worked since I usually went over there to get help with my problems."Priscilla Maxine Sumner, if you don't show me right now I'll … I'll … I'll never speak to you again." She was so unimaginative with her threats. It would have been so much funnier if she threatened to dye my hair green or threatened to tell the twins that my comic book collection was a new type of toilet paper. But Tai wasn't very creative like that. But maybe that was why we were such good friends. We balanced each other out."Okay, okay. I'll show you." I sat her down in her desk chair and stood in front of her with my hands stretched out, palms up. "Now I've discovered that there are two things I can do with my hands. First, I can make them pulse with heat. Feel my fingertips," I instructed her when they started to turn red and throb."Oh my God," she said after touching them quickly. "They've got to be like over a hundred degrees Celsius!""What does that mean?""One hundred degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit is the boiling point of water. Show me something else.""Okay, for the next thing, I really have to concentrate. Just watch my fingers closely, especially my index finger." I closed my eyes and concentrated on that secret part of my brain. Then I felt the energy shoot out of my fingers."Holy hotdogs," she said softly like she was afraid that if she spoke too loud the fire would disappear. I opened my eyes and saw that a small amber yellow flame hovered above each of my fingertips. The ones above my index fingers were the strongest and also had bits of blue and purple twinkling in them."I … I … I don't know what to say." Tai's eyes were wide with wonder. I was just happy she didn't look freaked out or scared like my dad did."What do you think this means?" I asked, shutting off the flame and rubbing my hands together. It still kind of stung a little. I hoped Tai could come up with a reasonable explanation for this and that it had nothing to do with aliens."I don't know, but I'm pretty sure it's not normal." Tai spun around in her chair and clicked on her computer. "I've been scouring the Internet ever since you told me about it, and I've found absolutely nothing else like your … situation.""Great. I am an alien." I flopped down on her bed."Alien? What makes you think that?""Nothing. Never mind," I said, not wanting to tell her about the strange conversation between my parents. I normally didn't keep secrets from Tai, but it was just too embarrassing to share."I don't think you're an alien," she said, making one final decisive click on the keyboard. She scooted her chair over and turned the screen slightly so I could see it.On the screen was a Photoshopped image of me in a red spandex body suit with a cape."You think I'm a superhero?" I said unenthusiastically, examining the image. "Yes, superhero!" she exclaimed. "Like in one of your comic books. I can't believe you haven't thought of that. Oh my God, this is awesome," she said, clapping her hands. "My best friend is a superhero."Well, I guessed that made sense. It was actually kind of cool to think that I could be a superhero. But since I hadn't fallen into a vat of radioactive material or been bitten by a spider, the question remained, where did the powers come from? I could still be an alien."So what else can you do?" Tai asked, standing and offering the chair to me. She took a brush out of the drawer and started working on my hair. This was our little ritual. Normally, when we talked it was with a hairbrush and comb in each hand."What makes you think I can do anything else? Isn't the fire enough?""Wishful thinking, I guess. I just think it's so cool. I can't believe you have superpowers!""Well, there is something else I can do.""I knew it. I knew you were holding out on me. What is it?" She spun me around in the chair to look at me."I can hear things.""You mean like voices? In your head?" She scrunched her nose up just like she did whenever the school cafeteria served fish sticks."No, not like that. I'm not crazy. I can hear sounds like … go in the hallway and whisper something into your hand."Tai stepped outside. I rolled my eyes when she whispered her phrase. My best friend really was a nerd."Okay, what did I say?""You said, 'Force equals mass times acceleration.'""Holy hot dogs, that's awesome!"I shrugged. The awesomeness of my powers was starting to wear off the more my parents' words sunk in. What if they really did send me away?"What's the matter? Why do you look so forlorn?" "What does that mean?""Depressed.""I'm not forlorn." I had to think of something to get her mind off of my powers. Honestly, I was sick of them. "I'm just worried about what I'm going to wear to Spencer's house tonight.""I almost forgot about that.""He said you could come, too.""Really? I can go? To Spencer's house? Spencer Callahan?" If she were the athletic type, she would have done a back flip right there in her room. "We gotta do our hair."Tai dashed to the bathroom to turn on the flat iron, curling iron, crimper, and electric brush. We were looking at a four- or five-hour hair styling session, and I didn't mind at all. I didn't want to think about superpowers. An hour later, we were so focused on the dozens of outfits lying around Tai's room that we nearly jumped out of our skin when her mom knocked on the door."Tai, Channel 2 is here," she said through the door."Oh, okay, Mom." Tai took slow, deep breaths. Suddenly, she looked like she might puke."Channel 2? Why is Channel 2 here?" I asked.She sat down at her desk and took her Rock Box out of the drawer. For the most part, Tai was a perfect, charming, polite, beautiful genius. She was every parent's dream child, but she did have one strange little quirk. Whenever she got really nervous, she took out this shoe box full of rocks that she'd collected over the years. Then, one by one, she'd take them all out and then put them back in. She had a special order and rhythm to the process as well, and if she got thrown off or interrupted, she'd have to start all over again. Thankfully, by the time she was finished with her rock ritual, she always got back to normal.The rock thing would've driven most people crazy. I mean, she could be at it anywhere from two minutes to two hours depending on what triggered it. But I just considered it a minor side effect to having such a great best friend. "While I was at physics camp, I took this test and I did kinda well, so Channel 2 wants to do a story on me. No big deal," she said, focusing on her rocks.It was a big deal. It was a huge deal. If it wasn't, she wouldn't be rubbing rocks as we spoke."Will you come with me? Will you sit with me?" she asked. Well, really, she pleaded."Tai, I wish I could, but my dad would flip if he found out I got on TV. You know how he is about privacy and keeping a low profile.""Well, you wouldn't have to say anything. Just sit next to me. I could use the moral support." She scraped the rocks back into the box and started all over again. She was extremely nervous about this.I really didn't want to do it, but how could I leave my best friend hanging? Over the years, my father had instilled in me his desire to stay out of the limelight at all costs. When I was little, I used to be really good at gymnastics. Getting up at 4:00 a.m. every day and driving to Pittsburgh for practice really paid off when I won the junior division title at eight years old. My coach said that if I kept training, I would probably make the Olympic team as a teenager. I was so excited. I could already see myself on the cover of a Wheaties box holding a gold medal. I thought Dad would be excited, too, but when I told him, he flipped out. He wouldn't even let the newspaper do a story on me because it meant my picture would be in it. And just like that, my gymnastics career ended because he thought it was too dangerous."Please, Priss. I don't think I can do this without you."I sighed. "What if I sit off to the side so the camera doesn't see me.""I guess that'll be okay."***"So tell us about the test. Was it hard?" Stacy Marguilles of Channel 2 News asked Tai while I stared at the two inches of makeup on the reporter's face. I mean, really she should've just put on a Halloween mask."It was a little challenging, but it was so much fun," Tai explained while I sat in the Houstons' brown wingback chair and stared at the orange shag carpeting. The Houstons hadn't redecorated since like the seventies. Every time I stepped into their house, I felt like I had jumped into an old rerun of Sesame Street. I didn't really understand what Mr. and Mrs. Houston did for a living. Basically, they got paid for being smart. They spent all their time reading big, fat, dusty books and then giving speeches about their findings. I don't know what possessed them to adopt a child. Don't get me wrong, I was glad that Tai came to River's Bend. I mean, she was my best friend in the world, the only person who really understood me. But Mr. and Mrs. Houston were a bit too old, formal, and stuffy to have kids. They were more likely to translate some ancient Egyptian manuscript than to play with their adopted daughter. They'd lived across the street from me my entire life and I didn't even know their first names."There was a section of chemistry on there that I wasn't familiar with, but since all the formulas were given, I was able to figure things out," Tai continued."That is simply amazing. So are you ready to go to Copenhagen to represent the U.S. in the international competition?"Copenhagen? She was going to leave me again?"I sure am. I can't wait.""Well, it was certainly nice meeting you, Tai. You keep on making River's Bend proud." Stacy turned to the camera and said, "Tom, back to you.""And we're out," the cameraman said. He took the camera off of his shoulder and whipped off his headphones while another man unhooked wires and started winding up the huge, thick cable that ran from the camera to the news truck outside."You're leaving the country? Why didn't you tell me about this?" I asked her once we were back in her room."I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I knew you wouldn't be happy with me. But it's only for a week this time."I sat on her bed and pouted. This would be the fourth time this year she left me. I'd be stuck hanging out with Kyle again. Some best friend she was."I'll make it up to you, I promise." She sat down on the bed and put her arm around me. I shrugged her arm off my shoulder. "Look, you'll have plenty of time to hate me later. Right now, I have to get you ready for your date tonight."She had a good point there.
The next morning, I sat in my room minding my own business. Well, kinda minding my own business. I was staring at the Houston house with my binoculars, waiting for Tai to get home, but that's not really spying. She's my best friend and I hadn't seen her in three weeks and I needed to know as soon as she got in because we really needed to talk. I promised myself that I wouldn't use my fire power or super hearing again until I talked to her and we figured some things out. I also wanted to convince my parents I was normal so they wouldn't send me away.In any case, I was completely the victim in an attack from the devil twins. They snuck into my room and nailed me in the head with two frozen waffles. Those little brats had great aim for five-year-olds. Then they ran out of the room laughing. I had to follow them and teach them a lesson. I had no choice. They can't just come into a girl's room unannounced and throw frozen waffles. They got one of my favorite comic books wet. I caught up with Charlie first. I picked him up and threw him on the couch. Then I sat on him and farted. Yeah, I farted. So what? When dealing with little brothers, sometimes you have to get gross. Then I took his shoe laces and tied them around his wrists so that they were like attached to his feet. Unfortunately, Charlie thought this was hilarious, his idea of an awesome Monday morning. He was laughing the whole time. Even when I let him go and he had to hop around the house bent over with his butt sticking up in the air, he was still laughing. I rolled my eyes in disgust and went in search of Chester."Chessie, where are you?" I called sweetly. "I have some candy for you." He didn't fall for it. Those boys were getting smarter every day. If I concentrated hard enough I could probably hear him giggling somewhere in the house. But I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't use my … oh, what the hay.***"Priscilla, what did you do to your brother?" my dad asked a few minutes later while I sat in the window seat of my room."You're gonna have to be more specific than that, Dad. I got too many of them.""What did you do to Chester?" he said slowly, holding back his annoyance with me."Uh, well, let me just say, he totally deserved it.""Priss, he's only five. I don't think anything he could do warrants you tying him to a chair and setting him on the street corner with a sign that says: Take me, I'm free.""Sorry, Dad.""Sorry's not good enough. Now I'll give you a choice. I can ground you for a week or you can make it up to them.""Grounded?" I shrieked, turning to face him for the first time. "But, Dad, they started it!""And I'm finishing it."I sighed. "Fine. I'll take them to the park after school tomorrow.""Thank you," he said, but didn't leave the room. I looked out the window again and continued my stalking of the Houston house. "Is there anything you want to talk about, Priss?" he asked, sitting on my bed. I felt a little uneasy. For the first time in my life, I felt uncomfortable around my dad. I knew for a fact that he had lied to me. I didn't know if I could trust him anymore."Like what, Dad?" I didn't look at him. I just kept staring at Tai's house, willing her to come home."I don't know. What's going on in your life?" He took his glasses off and cleaned them with his tie.He was trying to reach out to me, but I wasn't ready. I didn't know what to think of the conversation I'd overheard the night before. "Just watch her for a few days," my mother had said as if I was some sort of chemistry experiment. I shrugged. "Nothing special." Well, that was the biggest lie ever told."Are you sure? Because a boy called here for you.""Really? Who?" I asked, bolting upright. Was it Spencer? Did he really call me? How'd I miss that? Maybe he called while I was outside tying up Chessie. Maybe he wanted to confirm our date. More likely he suddenly realized what a loser I am and wanted to cancel."Kyle Montgomery," my father said. I rolled my eyes and sat back down at my window seat. "Kyle is not a boy. He's … he's just Kyle.""Well if any young man intends on courting my daughter, he needs to first be properly introduced to me."I laughed. "Daddy, you've known him since he was born. We have a picture of him poking your eye at my second birthday party."Just then, I saw the Houston car pull up."Look, Daddy, if Kyle ever intends to … court me or whatever, I'll definitely let you know, right after I puke." I didn't wait for a response. I dashed out of my bedroom and out of the house. I didn't stop running until I was down the street and in front of Tai's house. I hugged her so hard we both nearly fell over.After the hugging and jumping up and down subsided, Tai grabbed my hand and pulled me inside her house. We pounded the shag carpeted stairs and then entered her bedroom. She locked the door, pulled the curtains shut, and then said, "Okay, show me.""Show you what?" I said, acting confused."Oh, you know what. Show me the fire."She pulled her thick black hair into a bun and slapped on a spare pair of glasses that were on her desk. Then she stared at me, banging her little fists together in anticipation. I hadn't seen her this excited over something since the high school science teacher let her visit the ninth grade biology class and dissect a pig."I don't know what you're talking about," I said, strolling around her bedroom and looking at her collection of books as if I'd never seen them before. Tai didn't have a normal twelve-year-old girl's bedroom. Neither did I, for that matter, but at least my room was fun. Half of my room was dedicated to Marvel comics and the other half to DC comics. Tai's room was just covered with books. And not cool books with pictures or anything. Just thick, boring, brown books with strange titles like Quantum Mechanics and Vector Analysis. And those were the books whose titles I could actually pronounce. Her room reminded me of a psychiatrist's office. Which I guess worked since I usually went over there to get help with my problems."Priscilla Maxine Sumner, if you don't show me right now I'll … I'll … I'll never speak to you again." She was so unimaginative with her threats. It would have been so much funnier if she threatened to dye my hair green or threatened to tell the twins that my comic book collection was a new type of toilet paper. But Tai wasn't very creative like that. But maybe that was why we were such good friends. We balanced each other out."Okay, okay. I'll show you." I sat her down in her desk chair and stood in front of her with my hands stretched out, palms up. "Now I've discovered that there are two things I can do with my hands. First, I can make them pulse with heat. Feel my fingertips," I instructed her when they started to turn red and throb."Oh my God," she said after touching them quickly. "They've got to be like over a hundred degrees Celsius!""What does that mean?""One hundred degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit is the boiling point of water. Show me something else.""Okay, for the next thing, I really have to concentrate. Just watch my fingers closely, especially my index finger." I closed my eyes and concentrated on that secret part of my brain. Then I felt the energy shoot out of my fingers."Holy hotdogs," she said softly like she was afraid that if she spoke too loud the fire would disappear. I opened my eyes and saw that a small amber yellow flame hovered above each of my fingertips. The ones above my index fingers were the strongest and also had bits of blue and purple twinkling in them."I … I … I don't know what to say." Tai's eyes were wide with wonder. I was just happy she didn't look freaked out or scared like my dad did."What do you think this means?" I asked, shutting off the flame and rubbing my hands together. It still kind of stung a little. I hoped Tai could come up with a reasonable explanation for this and that it had nothing to do with aliens."I don't know, but I'm pretty sure it's not normal." Tai spun around in her chair and clicked on her computer. "I've been scouring the Internet ever since you told me about it, and I've found absolutely nothing else like your … situation.""Great. I am an alien." I flopped down on her bed."Alien? What makes you think that?""Nothing. Never mind," I said, not wanting to tell her about the strange conversation between my parents. I normally didn't keep secrets from Tai, but it was just too embarrassing to share."I don't think you're an alien," she said, making one final decisive click on the keyboard. She scooted her chair over and turned the screen slightly so I could see it.On the screen was a Photoshopped image of me in a red spandex body suit with a cape."You think I'm a superhero?" I said unenthusiastically, examining the image. "Yes, superhero!" she exclaimed. "Like in one of your comic books. I can't believe you haven't thought of that. Oh my God, this is awesome," she said, clapping her hands. "My best friend is a superhero."Well, I guessed that made sense. It was actually kind of cool to think that I could be a superhero. But since I hadn't fallen into a vat of radioactive material or been bitten by a spider, the question remained, where did the powers come from? I could still be an alien."So what else can you do?" Tai asked, standing and offering the chair to me. She took a brush out of the drawer and started working on my hair. This was our little ritual. Normally, when we talked it was with a hairbrush and comb in each hand."What makes you think I can do anything else? Isn't the fire enough?""Wishful thinking, I guess. I just think it's so cool. I can't believe you have superpowers!""Well, there is something else I can do.""I knew it. I knew you were holding out on me. What is it?" She spun me around in the chair to look at me."I can hear things.""You mean like voices? In your head?" She scrunched her nose up just like she did whenever the school cafeteria served fish sticks."No, not like that. I'm not crazy. I can hear sounds like … go in the hallway and whisper something into your hand."Tai stepped outside. I rolled my eyes when she whispered her phrase. My best friend really was a nerd."Okay, what did I say?""You said, 'Force equals mass times acceleration.'""Holy hot dogs, that's awesome!"I shrugged. The awesomeness of my powers was starting to wear off the more my parents' words sunk in. What if they really did send me away?"What's the matter? Why do you look so forlorn?" "What does that mean?""Depressed.""I'm not forlorn." I had to think of something to get her mind off of my powers. Honestly, I was sick of them. "I'm just worried about what I'm going to wear to Spencer's house tonight.""I almost forgot about that.""He said you could come, too.""Really? I can go? To Spencer's house? Spencer Callahan?" If she were the athletic type, she would have done a back flip right there in her room. "We gotta do our hair."Tai dashed to the bathroom to turn on the flat iron, curling iron, crimper, and electric brush. We were looking at a four- or five-hour hair styling session, and I didn't mind at all. I didn't want to think about superpowers. An hour later, we were so focused on the dozens of outfits lying around Tai's room that we nearly jumped out of our skin when her mom knocked on the door."Tai, Channel 2 is here," she said through the door."Oh, okay, Mom." Tai took slow, deep breaths. Suddenly, she looked like she might puke."Channel 2? Why is Channel 2 here?" I asked.She sat down at her desk and took her Rock Box out of the drawer. For the most part, Tai was a perfect, charming, polite, beautiful genius. She was every parent's dream child, but she did have one strange little quirk. Whenever she got really nervous, she took out this shoe box full of rocks that she'd collected over the years. Then, one by one, she'd take them all out and then put them back in. She had a special order and rhythm to the process as well, and if she got thrown off or interrupted, she'd have to start all over again. Thankfully, by the time she was finished with her rock ritual, she always got back to normal.The rock thing would've driven most people crazy. I mean, she could be at it anywhere from two minutes to two hours depending on what triggered it. But I just considered it a minor side effect to having such a great best friend. "While I was at physics camp, I took this test and I did kinda well, so Channel 2 wants to do a story on me. No big deal," she said, focusing on her rocks.It was a big deal. It was a huge deal. If it wasn't, she wouldn't be rubbing rocks as we spoke."Will you come with me? Will you sit with me?" she asked. Well, really, she pleaded."Tai, I wish I could, but my dad would flip if he found out I got on TV. You know how he is about privacy and keeping a low profile.""Well, you wouldn't have to say anything. Just sit next to me. I could use the moral support." She scraped the rocks back into the box and started all over again. She was extremely nervous about this.I really didn't want to do it, but how could I leave my best friend hanging? Over the years, my father had instilled in me his desire to stay out of the limelight at all costs. When I was little, I used to be really good at gymnastics. Getting up at 4:00 a.m. every day and driving to Pittsburgh for practice really paid off when I won the junior division title at eight years old. My coach said that if I kept training, I would probably make the Olympic team as a teenager. I was so excited. I could already see myself on the cover of a Wheaties box holding a gold medal. I thought Dad would be excited, too, but when I told him, he flipped out. He wouldn't even let the newspaper do a story on me because it meant my picture would be in it. And just like that, my gymnastics career ended because he thought it was too dangerous."Please, Priss. I don't think I can do this without you."I sighed. "What if I sit off to the side so the camera doesn't see me.""I guess that'll be okay."***"So tell us about the test. Was it hard?" Stacy Marguilles of Channel 2 News asked Tai while I stared at the two inches of makeup on the reporter's face. I mean, really she should've just put on a Halloween mask."It was a little challenging, but it was so much fun," Tai explained while I sat in the Houstons' brown wingback chair and stared at the orange shag carpeting. The Houstons hadn't redecorated since like the seventies. Every time I stepped into their house, I felt like I had jumped into an old rerun of Sesame Street. I didn't really understand what Mr. and Mrs. Houston did for a living. Basically, they got paid for being smart. They spent all their time reading big, fat, dusty books and then giving speeches about their findings. I don't know what possessed them to adopt a child. Don't get me wrong, I was glad that Tai came to River's Bend. I mean, she was my best friend in the world, the only person who really understood me. But Mr. and Mrs. Houston were a bit too old, formal, and stuffy to have kids. They were more likely to translate some ancient Egyptian manuscript than to play with their adopted daughter. They'd lived across the street from me my entire life and I didn't even know their first names."There was a section of chemistry on there that I wasn't familiar with, but since all the formulas were given, I was able to figure things out," Tai continued."That is simply amazing. So are you ready to go to Copenhagen to represent the U.S. in the international competition?"Copenhagen? She was going to leave me again?"I sure am. I can't wait.""Well, it was certainly nice meeting you, Tai. You keep on making River's Bend proud." Stacy turned to the camera and said, "Tom, back to you.""And we're out," the cameraman said. He took the camera off of his shoulder and whipped off his headphones while another man unhooked wires and started winding up the huge, thick cable that ran from the camera to the news truck outside."You're leaving the country? Why didn't you tell me about this?" I asked her once we were back in her room."I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I knew you wouldn't be happy with me. But it's only for a week this time."I sat on her bed and pouted. This would be the fourth time this year she left me. I'd be stuck hanging out with Kyle again. Some best friend she was."I'll make it up to you, I promise." She sat down on the bed and put her arm around me. I shrugged her arm off my shoulder. "Look, you'll have plenty of time to hate me later. Right now, I have to get you ready for your date tonight."She had a good point there.
February 17, 2012
Follow Friday
Q: I like unique names for characters and am looking forward to coming up with some when I start writing. What's the most unique character name you've come across?
Okay, I'm drawing a complete blank on this one. I can't think of a single strange name now that I'm trying. I'm going to have to go with Xi from Priscilla the Great, but I bet when I start reading other people's answers I'll remember something.
February 16, 2012
The Hottest Boy in Fiction (part four)
Today's pick for the Hottest Boy in Fiction is Percy Jackson. I'm not sure if I'm more in love with the book version of Percy or the Logan Lerman version.
He's soooo cute. And now for your reading pleasure, Ten Reasons Why I Belong with Percy Jackson:
1. First of all, there's the obvious. Percy controls the water and I can shoot fire out of my fingers. He will really come in handy when I accidently set fire to the couch or something.
2. Then there's the name thing. Percy, Prissy, Percy, Prissy. Can our names get anymore similar? Prissy Jackson just sounds right.
3. Neither one of us are the best student in school. Yeah, we could both use a little help with the book smarts. But we're awesome at using our powers.
4. Percy is not allowed to fly because Zeus might kill him. Well, I have an invisible jet. Come take a ride with me, Percy. Zeus will never know!
5. We're both not completely human. He's the son of a god and a human. I inherited some genetically engineered advancements.
6. We're both goal oriented people. He's on a mission to find Zeus' lightning bolt. I'm on a mission to find out where I really come from.
7. We're both heroes! He's like a real hero in the true mythological sense. I'm like a superhero because I kick some serious bad guy butt.
8. We're both super creative in battle. When he uses reverse psychology or whatever to defeat Crusty (Procrustes) at the water bed place was kind of how I used a "Prissy Fit" to defeat Specimen Delta!
9. We both have awesome sidekicks that will totally get along. I can already imagine Tai trying to study Annabeth's baseball cap and trying to recreate it.
10. We're the same age so I won't have the same legal issues that I might with Ryan Reynolds. Sorry, Ryan. I still love you though.
So there you have it. Ten perfectly logical reasons why I should marry Percy Jackson. Go ahead and give me a call, Percy. I'll be waiting.
To see if you agree, read Priscilla the Great today!
He's soooo cute. And now for your reading pleasure, Ten Reasons Why I Belong with Percy Jackson:
1. First of all, there's the obvious. Percy controls the water and I can shoot fire out of my fingers. He will really come in handy when I accidently set fire to the couch or something.
2. Then there's the name thing. Percy, Prissy, Percy, Prissy. Can our names get anymore similar? Prissy Jackson just sounds right.
3. Neither one of us are the best student in school. Yeah, we could both use a little help with the book smarts. But we're awesome at using our powers.
4. Percy is not allowed to fly because Zeus might kill him. Well, I have an invisible jet. Come take a ride with me, Percy. Zeus will never know!
5. We're both not completely human. He's the son of a god and a human. I inherited some genetically engineered advancements.
6. We're both goal oriented people. He's on a mission to find Zeus' lightning bolt. I'm on a mission to find out where I really come from.
7. We're both heroes! He's like a real hero in the true mythological sense. I'm like a superhero because I kick some serious bad guy butt.
8. We're both super creative in battle. When he uses reverse psychology or whatever to defeat Crusty (Procrustes) at the water bed place was kind of how I used a "Prissy Fit" to defeat Specimen Delta!
9. We both have awesome sidekicks that will totally get along. I can already imagine Tai trying to study Annabeth's baseball cap and trying to recreate it.
10. We're the same age so I won't have the same legal issues that I might with Ryan Reynolds. Sorry, Ryan. I still love you though.
So there you have it. Ten perfectly logical reasons why I should marry Percy Jackson. Go ahead and give me a call, Percy. I'll be waiting.
To see if you agree, read Priscilla the Great today!
Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway
Thanks to I am a Reader Not a Writer and Read for Your Future for another great giveaway hop. This time I'm giving away two awesome and intense YA books.
When fifteen-year-old Sonya Garrison is accepted into the prestigious Bridgeton Academy, she soon discovers that rich girls are just as dangerous as the thugs in her home of Venton Heights. Maybe more so. After catching the eye of the star, white basketball player and unwittingly becoming the most popular girl in school, she earns the hatred of the three most ruthless and vindictive girls at Bridgeton. Can she defeat the reigning high school royalty? Or will they succeed in ruining her lifelong dream of becoming a world class dancer?
Seventeen-year-old Majesty Alistair wants police to look further into her father's fatal car wreck, hopes the baseball team she manages can reclaim the state crown, aches for Derek…or, no…maybe Alec…maybe. And she mostly wishes to retract the hateful words she said to her dad right before slamming the door in his face, only to never see him again.
All her desires get sidelined, though, when she overhears two fellow students planning a church massacre. She doubts cops will follow up on her tip since they're sick of her coming around with notions of possible crimes-in-the-works. And it's not like she cries wolf. Not really. They'd be freaked too, but they're not the ones suffering from bloody dreams that hint at disaster like some crazy, street guy forecasting the Apocalypse.
So, she does what any habitual winner with zero cred would do…try to I.D. the nutjobs before they act. But, when their agenda turns out to be far bigger than she ever assumed, and even friends start looking suspect, the truth and her actions threaten to haunt her forever, especially since she's left with blood on her hands, the blood of someone she loves.
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February 15, 2012
Hottest Boy in Fiction (part three)
I almost forgot to post the day three hottie. I'm gonna go with Will from The Queen Bee of Bridgeton. He's totally a bad boy turn good and incredibly sweet to Sonya, the main character. You can get an idea of what he might look like in the book trailer. Check it out:
February 14, 2012
The Hottest Boy in Fiction (part two)
It is day two of my Hottest Boys in Fiction contest. Because I can't decide on just one (and because it is my contest) I'm choosing on each day.
Today's hottie is Reece from Songbird by Angela Fristoe. He is so beautifully flawed yet sweet and compassionate that you root for him to get his act together and snap up Dani, the female lead in the book before he loses her forever. If you want a fantastic love story that will move you to tears, read Songbird now!
Today's hottie is Reece from Songbird by Angela Fristoe. He is so beautifully flawed yet sweet and compassionate that you root for him to get his act together and snap up Dani, the female lead in the book before he loses her forever. If you want a fantastic love story that will move you to tears, read Songbird now!
