Vegetarianism Fail

Last week I had what was about the third dream where a vegetarian friend of mine (this time Stephanie, last time Critique Partner, time before that Kevin) guilted me about my meat-eating ways. I actually used to be a vegetarian (from – as I remember – age 15 to 21) so I wondered if these dreams were trying to tell me something. I am not a new-agey person at all but I felt like at least my subconscious was concerned about animals and the environment, so I figured, what the hell. I’d try it for a week.

The next night I was at the Paley, starving, and reaching for the first tray of food that crossed our path. “Oh, crap,” I said to Val as I devoured a delicious, delicious shrimp. “I was being a vegetarian.”

You’d think I would have felt guilty. Would have tried to fix my errant ways. You would be wrong. My next action was to eat a fairly rare slider.

Thirty hours, people. That is how long I lasted.

Sorry, Earth.

Yes, Yes, a Thousand Times Yes

Justine Larbalestier often says really smart things, and this response to #agentfail is no exception.

kt literary new site!

The new kt literary web site is gorgeous, so you should definitely check it out.

I spent the day at Disney Land. Since I’m a baby (and since I forgot my iPhone in the car), I spent my time waiting for my friends to ride both Space Mountain and Tower of Terror writing BY HAND on some leftover slips of paper in my purse. Weird and obsessive or just amazingly productive? (All three?) Either way, word count increasing… and BEDA still on track.

More Frankie

More excellent discussion of the Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks at Tea Cozy and also in the comments over at the Tournament of Books (at the Morning News). I truly try to be a very open-minded person, but anyone who says Frankie is all about love or first love may want to think about their reading comprehension skills.

Twittering YA Writers

Here is an excellent list a kind soul compiled: YA Authors on Twitter

I love how many people are like “oh, everyone’s using this now? I guess I will too” because that is EXACTLY how I feel. I prefer all of my other social networking tools but you can’t fight mob mentality.

Well. I can’t, at least.

The Tournament Continues

I am really, really heartened to read this round-up of the next section of the Tournament of Books. It’s thrilling that so many fans of the Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks have banded together. More thrillingly, unlike some other teen defenses of put-upon novels recently (ahem), these people are so eloquent and passionate and intelligent in their defense.

It will be very interesting to see how the Zombie Round goes.

I can’t stop thinking about the original decree that in Frankie “nothing truly fundamental gets shaken up here” because I feel the middle-aged middle/upper class male equivalent of Frankie’s situation – social standing and power dynamics in relationships being tossed about, not to mention upstanding citizen becomes, ya know, criminal mastermind – would be taken infinitely more seriously within literature. Sounds pretty fundamental to me, period.

It’s a Long Story

But I caved and looked up my Twitter info to PERHAPS start using it. I generally prefer blogging (I doubt anyone is shocked that 140 characters seems very limiting to me) or just updating my Facebook status for shorter things. That said, between this and my qualms about e-book readers, I’m a bit concerned I’m starting to resemble one of those dudes railing against cars and screaming GET A HORSE!

I mean, you guys. Please don’t get a horse. Let’s keep moving forward together.

Anyway: follow me here.

Contest for Worst Query Letter Ever

Definitely check out the details here at one of my favorite blogs. I will likely be entering if inspiration for something terrible hits.

Lazy Links Post

If you haven’t read the commentary to the Tournament of Books judgment decreed against one of my favorite recent books, the Disreputable History of Frankie Landau- Banks, I highly suggest it. However, even more so, I recommend this blog post by Liz B. which is, essentially, the commentary to the commentary.

(Also, how much do I love the feminist critique rearing up against the treatment of this book in the Tournament? So very meta. Also, if you think I’ve run out of nice things to say about Frankie, you’re wrong. I could most definitely keep going!)

I am fairly certain that nearly everyone has read the Jennifer Weiner piece on HuffPo, but I will link to it anyway, because it is lovely and filled with hope.

Also here is a story about an otter and his teddy bear, because I love otters.