Kristin Halbrook's Blog, page 5

Cancer-Destroying Nanoparticles--Created by a 17 Year Old

What were you doing when you were 17? I was in my second year of college and, quite frankly, I thought that was a bit impressive. But that's nothing compared to what Californian Angela Zhang has been up to. The teen won the top prize in the Siemens Foundation's annual science competition with her research into a nanoparticle that targets and destroys cancer tumors, without harming the healthy cells around them.

FREAKING AMAZING, NO?!?!?!?!?

The team prize went to teens from Tennessee who used gaming software to help develop a program that would help those with prosthetic limbs walk.

You know who should read this ten times over? People who scoff at teens today, people who worry about leaving our future leadership to today's young people. Because, these young people? They're researching cures for cancer and developing programs to promote ableism.

This is good. This is brilliant.

And it's just one of zillions of reasons I think teens are awesome.

About Blogging

I've been having a great discussion this morning with my YA Highway besties about blogging and why authors so often fall away from blogging after they get a book deal. (Our conversation was inspired  by Elana Johnson's recent post, though by no means was it about her post or her own blogging choices. Elana is absolutely amazing and I've wondered more than once how she manages to do it all!)

So, not blogging. Is it lack of time? Lack of inclination? Lack of motivation? The feeling we have nothing to say or that the advice we want to impart has been done *so* many times? I don't know, probably a mix of those things and more. Maybe it's even the reality that, even though aspiring authors are encouraged to blog, many of them don't like it, want to do it, make it a priority, etc. They do it because they're "supposed" to, but once the agent or book deal comes along, it doesn't feel like such an immediate necessity.

For me, it's a combination of being busy and not feeling like I have anything relevant to say.

The solution?

Blog when I want. I stress when I hold myself to a blogging schedule. It isn't a priority for me what with family, life, art, home, other work, deadlines, communication and, even, blogging at YA Highway being higher on the importance scale. So I'll blog when I feel inspired, when I have some moments to jot down my thoughts or want to share something with the few folks who (very kindly!) read my blog.

Blog about what I want. My favorite author blogs are those that present content beyond the writing process. That can be anything from travel writing to remodeling, from celebrity musings to sociopolitical ideas, from brief ideas to elaborate infographics. So I'm not going to limit my blog to the writing process. It'll be about whatever I want. It's possible that, in this way, I can feel more like my friends and readers are getting to know me and I can get to know them.

Having said that, the writing and publishing community are big parts of my life, so expect to occasionally see my thoughts on books or revision craziness and, of course, Road Trip Wednesdays. Other big parts of my life are my family (which I've always been hesitant to blog about--it's just a reality of being a rather private person), food, travel, sports, art, music and whatever else catches my random fancy.

In that vein:

I went to a midnight showing of Breaking Dawn last night. It was with a group of girlfriends and we had a blast. I snarked when appropriate and giggled throughout the entire childbirth scene. I think my favorite part of the movie, however, was SMeyer's cameo. Those fascinate me. The camera always focuses on her for this one, drawn-out second wherein she takes up the whole frame, then moves on. I'm laying the law down right now: if any of my books ever are made into films, I'm so demanding a cameo. I will play a tree. Oh yes,  I will.

I am not a patient person. It's been nearly 5 months since I filed my K-1 fiance visa and the wait is killing me, day by day. There is the distinct possibility that I utterly despise the faceless entity behind immigration. HURRY UP, USCIS!!!!!!

I'm excited to be with my family, including my far-away fiance who is crossing vast oceans to be with the family, for Thanksgiving. My mom recently moved and I've spent more than one day in tears over the idea of a Thanksgiving away from my family. It just isn't normal for people like us, who have always gotten together for this important holiday. I recently put together the T-day menu with my mom. I think it's drool-worthy, if rather basic:

Appetizers:
Deviled eggs
Spinach dip
Artichoke crab dip
Veggie tray with ranch dip
Assorted crackers, chips and breads

Dinner:
Rosemary, Thyme and Sage Roast Turkey
Brown Sugar and Cloves Spiral Ham
Turkey gravy
Ham gravy
Sausage Cornbread Dressing
Herb Dressing with Apples and Walnuts
Cranberry Orange Relish
Crescent Rolls (my sis-in-law makes the best!)
Rustic Sourdough Rolls
Mashed Potatoes
Honey Ginger Carrots
Bacon and Cranberry Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
Creamed Corn
Roast Broccoli and Cauliflower with Parmesan and Pine Nuts
Garlic Sea Salt Green Beans
Sweet Potatoes with Praline Topping
Greens and Baby Spinach with Pears, Hazelnuts and Blue Cheese Dressing

Desert:
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie with Cinnamon Syrup
Lemon Meringue Pie
Chocolate Guinness Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
Strawberry Gelatin and Ice Cream

What are you planning for next week? A big menu? Time with family? Watching some football? Sleeping in everyday of the break? Working that horrible Black Friday?

Have a super weekend and amazing Thanksgiving, everyone!

Raspberry Cobbler Bars

I bought several pints of fresh raspberries recently. I love how raspberries, especially late varieties, are one of those fruits that spans the gap between summer and fall. Unfortunately, my particular raspberries were getting to the point where they were spanning the gap between perfect and overripe, and I couldn't eat them fast enough, no matter how many bowls of cereal I topped with them. So I decided to make raspberry bars. The trouble I found with most recipes, however, is that they call for raspberry jam or preserves, rather than fresh berries. I'm not a huge fan of commercial raspberry jam, because the cloying sweetness overwhelms the berry's tartness. So I came up with my own recipe for Raspberry Cobbler Bars using fresh berries (you could also use frozen, thawed and drained berries). And tried to not eat the entire panful myself.


Raspberry Cobbler Bars with Fresh BerriesBase:
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
1 pint raspberries, 2 cups
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Topping:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you want to be able to remove your bars from the pan easily, line a 9x9 or 9x13 (I used 9x9 for a thicker bar) with foil, leaving two inches of foil hanging over the sides. I usually don't ever bother with this step.

Combine the ingredients for the base, mixing with an electric mixer or a pastry blender until the ingredients are well-distributed and crumbly, but not in a solid mass. Pour the mixture into your pan and press with your fingers or the bottom of a glass to flatten. Bake the base for 20 minutes, or until firm and golden brown. While baking, prepare the filling and topping.

For the filling, mash the berries with the sugar in a bowl. It's nice to have a few bigger chunks, IMO. In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients until crumbly, but not a solid mass. Remove the base from the oven and immediately pour the raspberries over the hot base. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the berries and return the pan to the oven. Bake an additional 20 minutes, or until the berries are bubbling and the topping is golden. Cool completely before cutting and serving or, if you're like me, scoop out some of the warm not-quite-set-cobbler-bars and top with ice cream. Yum.

RTW: The Coach With The Electric Feel

Today's Road Trip Wednesday over at YA Highway asks: What kind of writing coach do you need? When you have to coach your friends, what kind of coach are you?
When I'm in the writing zone, I don't need much of a coach. I get drawn into my work and can be quite productive, relenting to little distraction. But, in order to get into the zone, I first need to GET OFF THE INTERNET and get my work started. That's the tough part. So, my ideal coach would be someone who gave me a little electric zap whenever I strayed to the WWW so I can instead jumpstart my work. If he looked creepy as all get out, like this guy, even better.
[image error] electric fingers and a laser eyeball. meep!As far as my own brand of coaching, if you tell me to yell at you if I see you playing around on twitter or lurking on a forum, I'll yell. YELL. And maybe guilt trip you. And maybe use reverse psychology. And possibly sit on your head until you start typing. But I'm also constructive, because leading with positivity gets a whole lot more done than being negative and nasty.
What kind of coach do you need? What kind of coach are you? Play along with YAH's RTW.
More Electric Feel, for amusement's sake:

Engagement Photos at . . . Hogwarts???

JK Rowling has never revealed precisely where her inspiration for Hogwarts came from.* To be sure, several sites and a rich imagination are the true components of the Potter World; however, it is speculated that the University of Glasgow, in Scotland's largest city, is a prime source of inspiration for the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A Glasgow University blog notes some of the reasons the university would have been the inspiration, including location, spires, Glasgow's nickname of St. Mungo's and a rumored request (ultimately denied) to film the movies there. 
When I traveled to Scotland this past August, taking engagement photos at the university was a natural idea. Not only did my fiance complete his graduate degree there, but I was compelled by the HP rumors (being not just a little bit of a fan of the series). We didn't don house robes for the photos, but I still could imagine Harry, Hermione and Ron emerging from the cloisters or crossing the courtyard in full stride, discussing quidditch, the Sorcerer's Stone, or Draco Malfoy's most recent antics. Even the (ever present) rain couldn't disperse the feeling of magic that came from being with the best person ever in one of the prettiest places in (possible) bookdom.

The cloisters.
[image error] Whomping Willow in the background? Nah, that's probably a stretch. I just like this photo, even though I'm totally choking poor Paul, heh.
Unicorns are everywhere in Scotland, including U. Glasgow's campus. Unicorn hair and blood also figures prominently in the HP books. Coincidence? I think not.
[image error] Hogwarty spires.

More Hogwarty spires and a Hogwarty courtyard.
[image error] It's possible that the part we're hiding with our hands says "For Broomsticks."
Not much in the way of Hogwarts in this photo; just feeling the general magic of being with this Crazy Scot.

*If you know her inspiration, by all means, let me in on the secret.

Engagement session by Reflections Photography by Chantal Lachance-Gibson, who we really loved. Shoot her a message if you happen to be in Scotland and need photos. :)

The Lucky 13s

The blog for children's authors who debut in 2013 is live and running and I'm thrilled to be a part of this dynamic group! Head over to the Lucky 13s to discover some new authors and books to add to your future to-read list.

The Making of a New Name

Random village coming up with a book title. It's what they do.New titles happen all the time. And with a title like WILL AND ZOE, I was expecting a note to the effect of "Well, it tells us . . . something about the story, but I think we can do better."(The note was far more gracious than that, of course.)

My lovely editor sent a long list of catch phrases she'd pulled from the novel - a huge boon! - and I cherry-picked my favorites to start a dialogue with my critique group. There are a zillion reasons a good critique group is invaluable, and just one of those reasons is the wide range of ideas and perspectives available when brainstorming a title. Contributions to the discussion ranged from linking a dictionary of auto terminology to debating whether one particular word should come before or after another word to throwing the brakes on one possibility because it resembled a movie or book already on the market.

We narrowed the possibilities down to a few favorites, which I sent back to Lovely Editor. The Title Team grew from there as she discussed options with fellow editors, the marketing team and the head of the imprint, and I shared ideas with Superstartastic Agent. It takes a village, you know?

Finally, after another round of meetings, Lovely Editor came back with a possibility I liked. I tossed the title around in my head. I switched up a word, thought I liked it better, then decided I didn't and changed it back. I grew to really like the alliteration in the title, the way it suggested aloneness, desperation, a character-driven story. So I gathered final thoughts from friends; a chorus of positive feedback helped solidify the choice. And as a few more days have gone by (it took about a week total to decide on the new title), I've discovered I really love the title. So, what do you think? The novel that was formerly WILL AND ZOE is now officially: NOBODY BUT US.

Wait.

Officially: **NOBODY BUT US**!!!!!
(yay!)

Road Trip Wednesday #91: Time To Write

It's another RTW! RTW is a blog carnival hosted by YA Highway. Check out the topic, write your own post, publish to your blog and incude the links on the comments section of the YAH post. Travel blog to blog to see how your fellow Highwaypersons answered the question.

Today's topic: What time do you prefer to do your writing? Early Worm? Night Owl ? Any five seconds you can grab?



A notebook and pen here? Yes, please. Credit.
I have two kinds of writing days. 


1) A typical work day. These are the days when I hop out of bed with a chipper smile on my face (bahahaa), get a workout in and get to work on the many work-related tasks waiting for me. Reading, freelancing, researching, responding to emails, taking care of family, etc. On these days, I can't write until evening*, when the house is quiet and I'm satisfied I've finished my work. 


2) A writing day. Sometimes, however, I'll set an entire day aside to do nothing but write. These days I begin writing first thing and don't quit until the end of the work day, some eight or so hours later. I love these days because I get a TON done. But they're not as common, because . . . life and work, etc.


When do you write?


*Incidentally, I google imaged "twilight" to find a picture of, you know, that time of day around sunset. As soon as I hit the "search" button I groaned, realizing my mistake. :/ Cue an immediate re-search for "sunset."

Winners!

Thanks for your very kind congratulations about my book deal! Randomly chosen winners for the book giveaway are:

The DUFF: AudreyLike Mandarin: Aimee ReneeAshes: Michelle (with Susan B. Anthony)Ripple: Jessica LoveEntwined: Jennifer Foushee
Congrats! Send me an email at kristinhalbrook@gmail.com with your address and I will get your books out to you. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!!!!

Road Trip Wednesday: The Five Senses: A Pictorial Essay

Road Trip Wednesday is a weekly blog carnival from YA Highway. Visit the blog to see the topic, then add your post to the comments section to join the road trip. How is your work inspired by the five senses?
A topic like this is great because it forces me to explore and deepen the setting, characters, situations, emotions and flavors of my projects. It's eye-opening how much a scent or a taste can build a scene, weave a thread or help me better understand a character, even if it didn't seem relevant to that particular detail before. Here are some things that are inspiring me as I work on one of my most recent projects:
The sound of wind through a cornfield The taste, the touch of a kiss, given for different reasons The sound of a scream of frustration The smell, the sound, the feel of hogs The sight of the night sky when you're in the middle of nowhere [image error] The uncomfortable, antiseptic smell of hospitals The crackle-pop sounds of a fire, the rich-wood smell of a fire, the warmth of a fire The feel of holding someone you don't think you deserve to hold The worn and haunting details of an old farmhouse [image error] A touch of assurance The sounds from an old truck down a dusty country road The taste of perennially second-place-winning pies [image error] The smell of newly-mown field, even in the spring