Sara Raasch's Blog, page 480
April 29, 2014
I know it’s been awhile, but tune in tomorrow at 11:30AM EST for another SNOW LIKE ASHES...
I know it’s been awhile, but tune in tomorrow at 11:30AM EST for another SNOW LIKE ASHES Character Profile! Learn more about the characters and kingdoms of SLA!
April 28, 2014
forstiron:
GUYS I HAVE FOUND THE PERFECT SONG AND FANVID FOR...
GUYS I HAVE FOUND THE PERFECT SONG AND FANVID FOR ZUKO/KATARA
I think I’ve reblogged this vid before but OH THE FEELINGS.
April 26, 2014
watermistress:
The greatest sin is spilling Katara’s coffee...
The greatest sin is spilling Katara’s coffee right before a midterm. Zuko should be ashamed.
foxinu:
nsfwjynx:
the-pink-mist:
There was a split second...
There was a split second there where his like, “wait, what? bro what are you doing?”
On more serious note, PTSD dogs for veterans are so fucking therapeutic. They’re like the one person you can spill your guts to and never worry about ever being judged or have that secret divulged. There are times when I definitely prefer the company of a dog over a human.
Therapy animals save lives.
These dogs are even still so much more amazing. They check rooms before their handler enters, so they can clear it to help the person feel safe. Like in the gif, they are there when panic attacks or nightmares occur, to be something for the person to help ground themselves on, or yes just to turn on the lights. Even more amazing, many people are able to reduce their medication when they have a PTSD service dog there to help them. These dogs are useful for not just veterans, but also victims of abuse, accident trauma, natural disasters, and others. Their training allows them to be useful in situations where medical assistance is needed, as well. Some PTSD dogs are trained to recognize repetitive behaviours in handlers, and signal the handler to break the repetition and stopping the behaviour and possibly injury.
Service dogs in general are just awesome. Remember to respect any that you see out in public. They are not there for you to walk up to and play with, even the puppies!
This.
April 23, 2014
April 22, 2014
I love this book with the fire of a thousands suns.
I love this book with the fire of a thousands suns.
sjmaas:
behindthebloom:
It’s happening … it’s happening!!!
SO...
It’s happening … it’s happening!!!
SO EXCITED to share the cover with you guys! :D
GUYS.
arielmh:
"We are more than a bit concerned with the Benihana...
"We are more than a bit concerned with the Benihana egg trick called for in the script. I’ve tried it and can only get it 1 out of 4 tries, and I’ve seen Benihana chefs flub the manoeuver when they have an entire grill as target. Mads has to crack his eggs into a 8-inch diameter skillet. The props Master calls his guy. The Production Manager calls in his guy. I call my guy. On the morning of the shoot we have 8 dozen eggs and 3 Japanese chefs with their hands made up to be hand doubles.
I guess I don’t have to tell you that when Mads arrives on set, he just tosses an egg up in the air and the egg breaks on the spatula. No problem. Unbelievable. I insist it was a lucky fluke but he does it again. I accuse him of practicing when I wasn’t looking but he laughs (as if he has time to practise egg-cracking between scenes) and tells me he was a juggler in his youth.” [x]
And here we all thought we’d have a million outtakes of Mads flubbing the egg trick…
I love him. So stupidly much.
yaseriesinsiders:
Happy book birthday to YA Series Insiders’...
Happy book birthday to YA Series Insiders’ very own Anne Blankman and her amazing historical novel PRISONER OF NIGHT AND FOG!
Anne is sharing some secrets with us today, and we’ll be posting some of her favorite quotes from the book this week. PLUS she’s offering a special giveaway of the UK advance reading copy, which has a different cover. Fill out the Rafflecopter form at the end of the post for your chance to win!
YA Series Insiders: What song best fits Gretchen?
Anne Blankman: I think of “Brick by Boring Brick” by Paramore as my main character’s theme song. I love the emotion in the singer’s voice, and the song’s message—about letting go of childish fairytales—fits Gretchen’s struggles perfectly.
PRISONER OF NIGHT AND FOG has an official playlist, too. Listen to it at http://www.epicreads.com/blog/reading-playlist-prisoner-of-night-and-fog/
YASI: What is one thing Daniel has never told another soul?
AB: Oooh, I love this question! Daniel Cohen, the mysterious Jewish reporter, has a very personal reason for fighting the Nazis. You’ll have to wait until the sequel, though, for him to reveal it!
YASI: Who is your favorite character to write and why?
AB: This will probably sound strange, but I try not to have favorite characters. It’s easy to fall too much in love with one of your creations—to the point where you don’t let them make mistakes or sacrifices. I want to write about characters who aren’t perfect, have to work hard at life, and still fail sometimes.
YASI: What is your favorite writing treat?
AB: Sleep! Really. It’s my reward for hitting my daily word count. Since I have a preschooler, I end up doing a lot of my writing at night. The allure of my warm bed often helps me squeeze out that day’s last few paragraphs.
YASI: What book have you read that somehow changed your life and how?
AB: GRACELING by Kristin Cashore. I read it a couple of years ago, and I was completely captivated by it—the strong characters, the story, the lyrical writing. As soon as I finished it, I knew I had to return to my teenage love of writing YA stories and started working on PRISONER OF NIGHT AND FOG.
YASI: How often do you cry while writing?
AB: Okay, I’m one of those weird, almost-never-criers, so I was dry-eyed the whole time I wrote PRISONER. When I went through the first pass pages, though, (the hard copy of the typeset manuscript, meaning it is laid out exactly as it will appear in the final, bound edition), I broke down a couple of times. At that point, I realized how close PRISONER was to being a real book.
YASI: What is your favorite quote from the book/series?
AB: "She would live the life she had chosen for herself."
YASI: Any advice for writers currently working on series?
AB: If you don’t already have a book deal, I recommend finishing the first story in your series and then working on something else while it’s being shopped around. This will sound harsh, but there’s no sense in writing the sequels if the first book doesn’t sell.
But make sure you have the other books in the series planned out! If an editor wants your series, you’ll need to get started on the next books right away.
About the Book
In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her “uncle” Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf’s, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.
Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler.
And Gretchen follows his every command.
Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can’t stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can’t help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she’s been taught to believe about Jews.
As Gretchen investigates the very people she’s always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?
From debut author Anne Blankman comes this harrowing and evocative story about an ordinary girl faced with the extraordinary decision to give up everything she’s ever believed … and to trust her own heart instead.
Amazon | Indiebound | Goodreads
About the Author
Anne Blankman may have been meant to be a writer because her parents named her for Anne of Green Gables. She grew up in an old house with gables (gray, unfortunately) in upstate New York. When she wasn’t writing or reading, she was rowing on the crew team, taking ballet lessons, fencing and swimming. She graduated from Union College with degrees in English and history, which comes in handy when she writes historical fiction.
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