Website launch!
Everyone, I have FANTASTIC NEWS!!!

After many months of me struggling, my official website has now been launched!
Let me introduce you to:

www.charleevale.com

All of my blog posts from this website have been transferred over there (along with comments), so if you are looking for a post over there, you won't miss out. plus with the awesome search function you can find anything you want!

So I will be transferring my blog over there immediately. You all have been great reader's and I hope that you will continue to follow me at my new location. My twitter will still be updated each time one of my blogs is, and I will come around to each of my lbog followers and leave a comment to make sure you're notified of the change.

Have a Merry Christmas!

CV
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
Hey all, as you have probably heard the east coast got SLAMMED with like the blizzard of the decade. Which means I got majorly snowed in. My house got approx. 19 inches of snow. For those of you struggling with the measurements that's almost to my knees. I don't have picture up o my actual snow drifts, so for now, I leave you with this beautiful picture. (I promise I will replace it with a picture of the very large piles of my own snow eventually.

I actually don't have a book review for you today. Since I've been home I've been focusing more on writing than reading. Which is exciting. But I do have an interesting post for you. I was recently on a forum and there was a topic about what your favorite quote was. I posted that one of my all-time favorite quotes is 'Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.'

I think it is deep and brilliant, but what it reminded me of was a journal entry that I wrote about an experience I had on the subway when I had a job in the city. I thought you guys might find it interesting, so that is going to be my post for today.

--'I was on my way home from work today, sitting on the metro, listening to my iPod like I always do. I had the unfortunate opportunity to get on one of those trains that is to close to the one in front of it and so it is always stopping in the middle of the tunnels. But now I'm kind of glad I boarded this train.

As the train came to a complete stop in the middle of the tunnel, I looked out the door window across from me, and I saw something that just shot a bolt through me. I don't know why, but it just made me freeze. There are long lights on the side of the metro, and the top of all of these are caked with dirt. Written in the dirt, the light shining through the letters like lighthouse beacons, someone had written a message. "Why do fools walk in the rain?"

And that was it. That's all it was. It just gave me a shock, I guess it came from seeing a profound question written in the most unlikely place imaginable. I looked around the train, but nobody else seemed to have noticed it. Then the train started moving again and it was gone. Its highly unlikely that anyone will ever see that again.

As I was walking to my car I was just thinking about this question. "Why do fools walk in the rain?" and I finally came up with my answer. They don't.

I once heard a quote that I whole heartedly agree with and is the basis for my answer. "Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet." The fools are not the ones who walk in the rain. The fools are the ones who walk outside and are suddenly drenched with water and a depression of spirit because life is not going their way. They can't see that life is to short to care about things that temporarily make you uncomfortable, like the weather. They are so focused on their rain cloud that they can't look around and see that it may be raining harder on someone else.

The people who walk in the rain are the ones who enjoy it for what it is. Have hope for the future, and see no reason not to dance in the rain along the way. The are the ones who realize that even if it is dark, and poring rain for a long, long time......Life has to have some rain in order for the sun to shine. The few that understand that your life is not complete until you walk in the rain without just getting wet.'--

That's it for today folks! Hope you enjoyed it?

CV

Question for the comments: What is you favorite memory involving rain?
The Maze of life...and writing
Hey yall!

I'm back home from school and rocking out around my newly put up Christmas tree!

Thank you for your patience with my negligent posting, but i should be just fine now. On a very, snazzy cool note, my new blog just went live! Harry Potter Girl. ----------> Click here!

I'm reading my way through the Harry Potter Series! Yes, all seven of them. And no, I have not read them before. I would be so happy if you guys would follow me over there and support me through the fantastic (and very long) journey. I'm looking forward to it!

Oh, and I promise the graphics will get better after I get back to school and have access to photoshop!

Ok, so anyway, last post I promised you mazes...so here's one!


And don't whine...it IS solvable...I did it. Yes, I did.

But the purpose of this post is not maze, it's this one. The Maze Runner by James Dashner.


























The Maze Runner centers around a boy named Thomas who wakes up in an wooden elevator moving upwards. He remembers his name. Nothing else.

The doors above him open into a huge stone square courtyard called The Glade. There are lots of boys like him there. No girls. There are four openings in these hundreds of feet high walls, one for each side. They lead to a maze. There is no way out. And if you get stuck outside when the walls close each night...you won't come back.

This is pretty much all I can tell you about the book without ruining the story for you. It has a good plot with a total gut kicker in the ending epilogue. I didn't realize this was going to be a series book when I picked it up at the store...but I guess it is. I shall be interested to see how it turns out.

My only complaint with this book is that, like the character, I was extremely frustrated the whole time. The Author gives the sudience no more clues than he gives his character, and since he has amnesia....It works for the book, but it is a slightly uncomfortable feeling. I would like for you all to read it and give me your take on it!

Though I must say every once of discomfort was erased by the last line of the book. Just so incredibly shocking. I loved it.

I'll talk to you all soon!

CV
Freedom!!!

Right now I'm sitting in my University's cafe listening to two of my wonderful friends perform Jazz music. And you know how that feels? Wonderful! Because I have news...The reason I haven't posted in so long is because I have been suffering from the SWINE FLU.


That's right. I was even quarantined to my dorm room for three days! Needless to say, the last few weeks haven't been the most scintillating experience in my life. You see that mask the pig is wearing? Yes...Indeed. I had to wear that! I looked like an idiot.


In other news, I had my first interview as an author!!! Really excited. Jim Wisneski, fellow author and blogger took the time to interview me. If you're interested in reading it. (Please do it was a really fun interview....including a sneak peak at my new project!) Read it here:
-----------------------------------------------> http://ow.ly/wOrC


Gotta love interviews! Anyway, the last time I posted I promised to take about fairy tales, and indeed I will! The most recent book I read for a review is called Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George. Do you all remember that fairy tale about the twelve princess who danced through their shoes every night, even though their father locked them in their room? Well, if you don’t, or on the off chance you never actually heard that tale, go look it up! Because this is a re-telling.


This charming book really develops unique characters and adds several layers of dimension. Simple facts in the first fairy tale are fleshed out into beautiful scenes, locations, and sub-plots. If re-told fairy tales are your kind of thing? By all means check this book out. Plus, it’s on the shorter side, which makes it a relatively quick read. Good for all those super busy people out there.


I know that I haven’t been on much…and I’m so sorry! I’m trying to do better. But as well as all the crazy stuff that happened I’m getting absolutely dumped on with school work. AHHH! Anyway, thanks for reading!


CV


P.S. Next time will involved memory loss and mazes. Can’t wait to tell you about it!

It's been so Impossibly long!
My dear friend I apologize for the intense LACK of posting that there has been *Smacks herself in head* College is crazy...absolutely crazy! But in spite of it's craziness, I have managed to read a couple of books, which I can't wait to tell you about!

First off though, I recently was interviewed for another blog. (exciting, right?) I will be sure to notify you as soon as that goes up.

The first book that I read that I want to tell you about is Impossible by Nancy Werlin. It was a National Book Award finalist, and if that's the only thing that gets you to read this book, then so be it.

The story is woven around the folk ballad 'Scarborough Fair'. (You know, the one Simon and Garfunkle did a cover of?) Werlin has taken this song and woven an entire mythology behind it. Lucy Scarborough, 18 and pregnant, is at the mercy of her family's curse. She has until the baby is born to break the curse or she will go insane, and the curse will be left to her daughter to break. Just another link in the chain of fatherless daughters.

Werlin has a true story telling gift. This story is very simple, there are not an exorbitant amount of characters, the plot is single minded. And yet, that is all it needs. It was a refreshing splash into a completely believable world. To often we find fiction has too many 'just in time' coincidences, they're what get us our happy ending, but too many and the audience becomes jaded. Werlin does not take advantage of her audiences belief span in this.

Every time I read a novel, I consider the novel a success if I continue to think about the story, the nuances, the characters etc. after I finish reading. That was the case with this novel. I finished it in twenty-four hours because I was so enthralled. It's fantastic. Now go read it!

CV

P.S. My next post will be about Fairy Tales, or at least re-tellings of them. :)
Busy, Busy, Busy!!!
My dear friends and readers,

I'm so terribly sorry I have been so lax in posting! College - that monstrous towering being which overshadows all of my waking thoughts - has claimed me in full once again. As well as my classes, I being a theatre major, (Not writing? Shocking!) have been cast in two separate productions. Therefore I have two rehearsals most nights of the week as well as homework!!! ahh! But I do really want to post! I do!

However, in order to post, I have to have something to post about. I really haven't had any hilariously awkward moments, and I haven't been able to read any more books. (Por que!) That's where you come in. If you have a topic you wish me to expound upon, e-mail me!

charleevale@post.com

Until then, I'll try to come up with something. :)

CV

P.S. My website and new suprise blog are coming along nicely!
Two Epic Books!
Hey guys!
The fireworks, despite my skepticism, were actually pretty awesome. Much better than the display they had last year. It actually inspired a scene for a story that's still in it's formation stage in my head. Yay!

Unfortunately, I have horrible camera timing, so I didn't really get great pictures to share with you. Instead here is an incredible picture which I did not take. :)















So now the discussion of the Two Epic Books the title refers to. In June while I was on vacation in NH, I went to a tiny little bookstore, where each genre was lucky if it had one side of a book shelf. While I was there, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I had heard of the book before, the title had been floating around in blog circles, and the praise was enourmous! I went ahead and bought it without another thought. However, I didn't get around to reading it.

Not long after, I heard that the sequel was coming out. Being somewhat of a series junkie, I pre-ordered it as soon as I could, along with Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse by Kaleb Nation. I got swept up by the summer, and starting college again, so I didn't get around reading these two books until last week, right after Catching Fire had come in the mail.

Oh. My. Goodness. I can honestly say these books are incredible. They sucked me in similarly to the way The Mortal Instruments Series did. (Which if you have been following the blog you know I love) I read Hunger Games in less than 24 hours, finished Catching Fire by the time 48 had passed. As soon as I was finished I told everyone within my immediate vicinity that they HAD to read these books! Now I'm stuck hanging on a 1,000 foot cliff hanger for the third one.

Though the premise of these books is somewhat horrific, (Something of a modern gladitorial spectacle) Collins manages to write in a way that makes it seem natural. She makes you understand that it is a part of these people's lives, and you accept it just as they do. They are packed with action and suspense, I probably could have provided air conditioning for my entire dorm with how fast I was turning pages!

These are books I really don't want to sumarize for you, the ignorance element going into the book I feel is a little more important with this series. All I can say is that my praise for these books could not be higher, and you all should go and purchase them immediately and read them A.S.A.P.

CV
A Sweet Disorder
Happy Labor Day everyone!

I, for one, have always found this an exceedingly strange holiday. Celebrating labor? Hmmm.....But, inevitably I go to school in the town where Labor Day was invented so I can't just ignore it and pretend like its just another day off like everyone else in the world. There are festivities!

There will be a small fair and fireworks tonight, which are usually pretty good despite the fact that the college is bigger than the town. But it will be fun. Maybe I'll post some pictures of the fireworks next time for those of you who are my loyal fans. :)

Now that I'm done with Wings, I'm trying to branch out in the world of young adult literature. Though fantasy is my first love, I do enjoy other genres as well, and one of those is historical fiction. On a recent trip to Barnes & Noble with some fellow book lovers, I resolved to buy some books based upon cover and cover copy only. After scouring the store for about an hour, I picked up two books. A Sweet Disorder by Jacqueline Kolosov, and another which shall be revealed after I read it.

A Sweet Disorder has a stunning cover. Not as blatantly dramatic as the Luxe novels, and just enough to keep you interested. It was the cover that first made me pick up the book. The next os the cover copy, which describes an epic struggle for a young woman independence with the only weapon she has in her arsenal: Embroidery. That along with the promise of backstabbing intrigue and lost love clinch the purchase for me.

I was always a huge fan of the 'Dear America' and 'Royal Diaries' series growing up, so I leave B&N with the hope and expectation that it will give me the same thrill. I started it that night, despite the face that I had mountains of homework looming over me, threatening to topple and suffocate me under a ten foot pile of paper. The book doesn't disappoint. It is by definition, a much slower book than say, City of Bones, which has much more of an action aspect to it. But once I got caught up in the intrigues of the English court I found myself turning pages almost as quickly as an action novel.

In this world where wearing the wrong color can mean your death or exile, it's not a physical battle, but a mental one. Kolosov brilliantly depicts the difficulty of being able to trust no one, even those who claim to be loyal. An added dynamic is the one of love. How must it feel to be in love with the court's most sought after knight, the man who was once betrothed to you. With every girl around her scrambling for the affection of the one she loves, the protagonist has a hard enough time just keeping her heart at a steady pace. Layer on the sting of betrayal and I'm not sure how our girl survives the emotional roller coaster.

My only qualm with this book was that it ended quickly. Once everything was laid out, it took almost no time at all for things to fall into a peaceful, happy balance. This was not at all out of place with the remainder of the book; there were no loose ends left, and the audience comes away satisfied that the character's lives are as they should be. It was only my personal opinion that it seemed like a swift end, and in the grand scheme of things, a very little smudge on the polish of a very well written book. It is very solid, and I enjoyed it very much.

Thank you all for being patient with me through school! I don't have nearly as much time as I would like to post to you all. I'm trying to make time as much as I can. If you have anything you would like me to write about, let me know! I'm running out of book reviews, since my school regimen does not allow me much free time to read anything other than textbooks. Feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me!

CV

P.S. Next time, my thoughts on Suzanne Collins' books: The Hunger Games, and Catching Fire!

P.P.S. Don't forget to fan me on facebook for news and novel updates!
Wings - Final Thoughts
So....I tried to post this yesterday, but my computer freaked out and deleted the post! And by that time I had to go to class and couldn't re-write it. So I apologize. I am so sorry that I haven't been able to post this sooner regardless! College has taken over my life again, and I'm having trouble finding time to eat, breath, and sleep...let alone blog. But the semester has just started, once my routine becomes more balanced I'll be able to find more time. Now on to the book!


I really enjoyed 'Wings'. I did not realize that it was the beginning of a series when I bought it, but now that I've finished the book, I'm glad it is. Aprilynne Pike has managed to take a subject matter that is considered over written, and breathe new life and ingenuity into it. She wove vibrant characters that lept off the page (Especially Tamani), ones that I will be happy to continue reading about.


I also have to commend Aprilynne and her editors for their choice of cover. It was the cover design of this book that made me pick it up and want to buy it without reading it. (Something I usually don't do, though I'm making this more a practice of mine) We all may want to start disregarding the phrase "Don't judge a book by it's cover," because it certainly made a difference for me!


The book is fun and entertaining, appropriate reading level for the age. Not only that, but it made me read the chapters far faster than my reading schedule! I'm very glad I read it. My goal in doing this review was to spotlight the work of a new author. Although reading my reviews may have been a little confusing for those of you who have not read the book, it is my hope that this may have inspired you to read it yourself!


So I encorage you to take a change and go buy the book of new author without reading it. You may be pleasantly suprised. :) Now go buy!


CV


P.S. Next time: My review of A Sweet Disorder by Jaqueline Kolosov - A historical fiction novel I just finished.

Wings - Chapter 25

Laurel’s parents agree to the bargain. A fair deal, since the diamond was appraised at 800,000 dollars. Woah now. The final chapter takes place in the forest, where Laurel has come to say goodbye to Tamani.


She wants to stay with him, but she recognizes that she can’t be a part of this world right now. She has to be human, and being human means being with David. He begs her to stay, to live in the house on the land, but she can’t. She has to protect her parents and her friends in case any trolls decide to come back.


He continues to beg, and she finally asks him why he loves her so much, if he barely knows her. Warning: Twist coming. They were child hood friends when they were young faeries. Not just friends, the best and deepest of friends. They had to erase her memory of everything, including Tamani form her mind when she was given as a human infant.


The ring he gave her wasn’t just any ring. It was hers. She had told him to give it to her so that she could try to remember. It didn’t work, but he said he had to try. He then tells her that he’s been watching her everyday for the past 5 years. How could he not have fallen in love with her? He says he wait. Forever if he has to. Wait just for her.


The time for goodbye has come. She’s almost to the car when she can’t take it anymore. She runs back after him, even though he’s disappeared. She run’s and kisses him (another well written, stomach flipping kiss) She feels once again torn between him and David. She doesn’t know how she’ll manage.

He thanks her for the glimmer of hope, and she says. ‘There’s always hope.” Then she turns away, and goes home.


The End.


I’ll write a post with my final thoughts very soon!!


CV

Wings - Chapters 23,24

Tamani has been shot. In the leg only, but he’s still oozing sap like there’s no tomorrow. Without even hesitating Mr. Barnes shoots him in the other leg. All this is directly in Laurel’s line of sight. He tells her with signal’s to leave him, and go back to notify the other faerie’s, but she can’t leave him.


Mr. Barnes puts the gun down, and begins to question Tamani about why he’s there, all the while kicking his leg every time he doesn’t answer. In a last ditch effort to help Tamani, Laurel sneaks across the room, grabs the gun, and points it at the troll. But even after all he’s put her through, she can’t kill him. He lunges for the gun, and reflexively shoots him in the shoulder, dropping the gun in the process. Tamani manages to get the gun, and shoot, but by that point Mr. Barnes has already jumped out the window and fled.


David comes running, hearing the gunshots, and they hurry to get back to the other faeries. He’s bleeding (in the only way plants can) profusely and needs to be healed. After once again promising David that she’ll come back from the forest, She delivers Tamani into the hands of the faeries.


They take him through the gate. From the description it is bright and glittering, and the world Avalon on the other side is absolutely beautiful! An older Faerie trades places with Tamani, coming out of the gate to speak with Laurel. He is very kind to her, and expresses how proud he was of her for not killing the troll. Fall faeries are made for healing, not for killing. He also gives her an elixir as thanks. It is one of the only faerie potions that will work on humans, and it will save her father. ALSO, he gives her a golf ball sized diamond! It is payment to parents for the land if they will out it in a trust in Laurel’s name! Holy cow!


David takes her back to the hospital, and after administering several drops of the liquid into her father’s mouth; she gives her mother the diamond and the proposition. If I had been handed a rock that big I would be just as suspicious as Laurel’s mother is, and the explanation she then gives her about her life is not easy. Their reunion is complete when her father wakes up from his coma, and seems to be just fine.


Laurel goes back to see David who’s waiting at the car. After healing his large bruise from their encounter with the river, They finally take the step we have all been waiting for. Laurel kisses him, and shoves their relationship into full gear. Everything seems to be just right now.


Last chapter next!


CV

Wings - Chapters 21, 22
As we begin to race towards the conclusion of the story, I start to get more of the answers I’ve been so curious for.

David handles meeting Tamani better than the reverse, but that may have something to so with the near coma that waking up at 4 am induces. Nothing like getting up that early to go kick some troll butt! *rolls eyes*

And finally (drumroll!) the reason trolls are so ugly! Trolls are a glitch, the have no symmetry in their bodies. Laurel and Tamani, being faeries are the complete opposite. Faeries are precisely symmetrical in everyway (some of the reason they’re so gorgeous). Humans are somewhere in between, having middle symmetry.

I was wrong, Mr. Barnes doesn’t know what Laurel is! If he had, Tamani claims he never would have attempted to drown her. They figure that since the three times he has encountered her, other smells have covered up her lack of smell. David smelled like campfire at her house when he first visited, the hospital is full of smells, and David’s blood dripped on her when they were thrown against the wall, making her look human. Lucky for her.

After a brief fight about who is to stay in the car and who is to go, they reach the house. David has to stay, he’ll alert the trolls with his scent, and Laurel is too stubborn to be left behind. David implores her to come back, and she promises she will. They leave him with instructions on when to come closer, and if to go back and tell the other Faeries.

Not gonna lie, it’s pretty cool to see Tamani in action. He takes out three of the four trolls in a matter of minutes with a dart and a couple of neck-snaps, though that was rather unsettling to read. The dart was only a sedative for the strange ‘watchdog troll’, and he disposes of that one with a special spray to the eyes. Thankfully she was unconscious.

Three down, one to go. Mr. Barnes is the only one missing, and you can almost feel the tangible tension as Laurel and Tamani creep further into the house looking for him. When they find him, its only his shadow they see, the rising sun is useful for some things. :) Tamani whips out his handy dart blower, and Mr. Barnes shadow slumps down onto his desk. Well…that was easy. Too easy. He was faking!

Before we know it Tamani has been thrown against the wall and a dangerous game of cat and mouse progresses around the room. They seem almost evenly matched between Tamani’s speed and the troll’s strength. That is, until Tamani falters and gets thrown against the wall again, this time right across from Laurel, where she can see everything.

He’s injured this time, it’s pretty obvious. Despite that, he tries to lunge for the troll once again, only to be rewarded with another bone-crunching throw into the wall. Mr. Barnes isn’t going to be fooled with this time. He takes a gun from his belt, points it at Tamani, and pulls the trigger.

That’s all for now folks! I know that was a mega cliff hanger, but hold on, we’re almost there!

CV
Wings - Chapter 19, 20

I can’t even tell you! My heart is POUNDING after reading chapter 19! It is totally action packed.


Now spotted, David and Laurel are in trouble. Mr. Barnes breaks through the window, grabs them, and throws them against the opposite wall! WOAH! David tries to shield her, but she’s leaking fluid from her back, and we don’t know how badly she’s injured.


As Mr. Barnes interrogates them about what they’re doing there, David falls into the same trancelike state as laurel’s mother and answers the questions without even flinching. Laurel has to slap him, hard, in order to snap him out of it. But its already too late, he’s given away too much, and Mr. Barnes isn’t exactly just going to let them go.


The two ugly men threaten to break they’re legs, but no, they get a face far worse: drowning. Yes, Mr. Barnes tells his henchman to take Laurel and David to the river, weight them down, and drown them! It becomes obvious that Mr. Barnes knows exactly what Laurel is, because he specifically says he doesn’t want her around when the papers are signed. Hmm….makes you wonder what HE is.


As they’re driving, David starts to get sentimental, but Laurel refuses to say goodbye. As they arrive at the river, the men tie them to very, very heavy rocks. While they’re awaiting their fate, Laurel remembers they’re experiment in his kitchen where they shared breath. Not a bad idea if I do say so myself. Then get this; these men pick Laurel and David up with their rocks. One in each hand! And thrown them into the middle of the river.


There are a very few tense pages as Laurel, in the midst of sharing breaths with David, frees him. He’s swept away down river, and now she no longer has an air supply. Somehow, she manages, to free herself, though her feet are pretty injured in the process. David catches her further down river. She was underwater more than fifteen minutes after she freed him. Holy cow.


Moving on to chapter 20. They go to Tamani. David sleeps in the car while Tamani heals Laurel and she sleeps in the forest. When she wakes up (conveniently in Tamani’s arms) we finally find out some of the answers we’re looking for!


The ugly people are trolls, who are trying to take over the faeries, it’s one of those never ending grudge things. The reason the land is so important is that it contains a gate to the Faerie world. The trolls made Laurel’s father sick to force her mother’s hand into selling the land, which is now apparent, is really not a good thing.


They head off to fight the trolls, Tamani grumbling all the way about having to meet David. Looks like an exciting showdown is shaping up. More to come!


CV


Got an idea for a post? E-mail me! Charleevale@post.com

Wings - Chapters 17, 18
Things take a dark twist in these next two chapters.

Laurel’s father gets sick. We’re not talking flu sick, we’re talking deathly ill. He’s so sick that Laurel’s mom actually called an ambulance. And as we know, their family doesn’t do doctors or hospitals. Ever.

Laurel takes over hours at the bookshop, and her friends do her best to cheer her; but even cuddling with David isn’t enough to lift her spirits. David drives her regularly to the hospital her father has been transferred to. He really is being a great guy here! I’m impressed! But her father doesn’t improve; he gets worse. Te doctors have located a toxin in his body that if left alone will shut down his organs one by one. So far nothing they have done has been able to reverse it. (Something tells me Laurel is going to have to use her special new powers in order to save her father)

Things spiral further out of control as the creepy realtor Mr. Barnes keeps hounding their family about the land sale. After he thoroughly interrogates Laurel about why her parents are never home, she begins to screen her calls, never answering the ones from him. Can you predict the next thing that is going to happen here?
If you were an astute reader you would have figured out that this Mr, Barnes obviously isn’t going to give up that easy. If you guessed that, you’re right. An afternoon about two weeks into this saga, Laurel’s father has been given a week to live. David immediately takes her to the hospital, it no longer seems weird when they hold hands. Their relationship has progressed past friendship now whether Laurel wants it to or not.

As they enter the room, guess who’s there? You got it – Mr. Barnes. Laurel’s mom is smiling and nodding, singing her life away. She is almost trace-like happy for someone whose husband is dying. Her family is swimming in debt without health insurance, and no matter what she says there is no way Laurel can convince her otherwise.

Despite the fact that she understands, there is still something seriously off about Mr. Barnes. She decided to take off with David and investigate the office address on his business card. And let me tell you, this is where it gets really weird. The office address is a house; a very old house that looks like it’s abandoned.

David sees a light, and we find Mr. Barnes in addition to the house. Two creepy guys are with him, the look wrong – like their skin didn’t quite hang on them right. Also in the corner, a creature is chained up. It looks half-human, half-animal. Its jaws are distended, and from the rest of the description: YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

Just as they’re about to run, it opens an eye, a blue eye, and looks at Laurel. Talk about a cliff hangar! Anyway, I’m really excited to find out what’s going on here. More to come!

Question for the comments: If you were Laurel, would really really have gone after that guy?

CV
Wings – 15,16
As opposed to the last two chapters, fifteen and sixteen were ridiculously short.

Laurel makes a report to David, though she doesn’t tell him much. She is plagued by thoughts of Tanami – the ring necklace he gave her is certainly doing its job. Do I sense a love triangle shaping up here? Laurel compares the two in her mind. David: cool, calm, reliable, trustworthy. Tamani: wild, passionate, dangerous.

Laurel comes up with yet another experiment – since she’s a plant, she must breathe oxygen out. So, David breathes into her mouth, she holds it in, and breathes it back. The kissing part of it is just a bonus. ;) It would seem like Laurel breathes almost pure oxygen. I bet that was an exhilarating breath.

The next day Laurel spends some time with Chelsea. She takes her to a lighthouse on the coast. Laurel loves the ocean breeze as long as she doesn’t touch the water. After a picnic where Chelsea eats a snickers, and Laurel eats strawberries, they have a little heart-to-heart. About David.

Chelsea’s liked him for a really long time, but she concedes the victory to Laurel. A little more of Chelsea’s character is revealed, and they part as friends. I know its not the most exciting post, but that’s all for now! More to come soon.

CV

Got any ideas for a post? Email me! charleevale@post.com
Weekend Quote
Do I dare
Disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.


T.S. Elliot - From 'The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock'

CV
Wings – 13,14
The next couple of chapters are what I call the lull chapters, they’re really interesting, but it’s a lot of conversation. This is the part in the book where the majority of the mysteries are explained once we get past it and understand everything, the plot can move forward. So hold onto yourselves! I’ll try to get some of the details, but I do want to save some surprises for when you read the book yourself!

Laurel decides to go back to see Tamani. Good idea? Maybe….maybe not. David isn’t too happy, but he can’t stop her, so he just says to be careful. It doesn’t take Laurel to find him, he pops out right when she calls for him in all of his supermodel-green eyes- great hair- glory.

They end up talking in the same clearing they were in the last time she visited. After some friendly (and flirtatious) banter they get down to business. Laurel has magic! Which she can’t quite believe, but apparently she has a lot, she’s quite a powerful faerie.

There are four kinds of faeries, and they correspond with the seasons. They range in power opposite of what you might think. Winter are the rulers and most powerful, no one really knows the limit of their power. Autumn are second. (Laurel is an autumn faerie) They do a lot of plant magic, elixirs and potions, not really specific, but they can do a lot. The Summer faeries are flashy and entertaining, and finally the Spring faeries are the last in line, and the manual labor. (This is Tamani)

Even though it would seem that Tamani got the short end of the stick, he didn’t. He can entice people. That’s how he got Laurel to follow him the last time she was there. Needless to say, Laurel really isn’t too thrilled about that. But now that she knows, it can’t happen again. That’s good!

Now here’s something I find most interesting. Tamani’s hair roots and eyes are green because he eats green plants! Laurel has normal coloring because she drinks a lot of water and sprite, and doesn’t eat enough of one color to change her pigments. I think that would be awesome! Just change the color you eat, and get a makeover!

Several other things are covered, including pollination. Yeah, basically the faerie sex talk. Apparently, since faeries pollinate to reproduce, no pregnancy risk. And I QUOTE THE BOOK– ‘sex is just for fun’ Moving on…..

The rest of the chapter reveals that Laurel’s families land is very important to the Faerie Realm, and she cannot under any circumstances allow her parents to sell the land. How she’s going to accomplish that, I don’t know. Also turns out Laurel is 19 in faerie years. It would also seem that there is more to why she was given to human parents than is being revealed. I have a feeling we’ll find THAT out very soon.

Tamani seems overly sad to see her go. It was obvious he liked her, but this is almost too much. He even gives her a small faerie ring to where around her neck to think of him. He kisses her hand before she leaves, and the glow from it seems to spread through her whole body as she rides her bike away.
Handshake Harmony
Handshake -- the first impression you make on a person when you meet them. Obviously, this is pretty important aspect of meeting someone. But have you ever had a handshake that just made you want to cringe? Yeah. I thought so. So here I am, breaking down handshakes for you.

There are 6 distinct kinds of handshakes. I have personally experienced them all. Hopefully the following breakdown will help you determine what kind of handshake you have, and fix it if it's bad.

1. The Clammy Handshake
The most common kind of discomfiting handshake. You walk up and meet someone, grasp their hand, and immediately feel this: as if you've been outside in pig-stinking summer heat, but the sweat has cooled and you have that peculiar too cold sensation. OR their hand feels like it is covered in slightly tacky interior wall paint, which has now secured itself securely to your hand.

Oh yes, those of you who have been victims understand the acute discomfort that this causes. So for those of you who are the clammy hand owners...I don't even know how to give advice for this one.

2. The Dead Fish Handshake
I think this is possibly the most awkward of all the kinds of handshakes. This is what happens when you shake someone's hand, and you suddenly find yourself holding it. This is because they have not gripped your hand they have placed their hand in yours, and it just lays there while you shake it! Really?? Really? WHY? Why would you let your limp had sit in mine like that? It really does feel like a dead fish is sitting in your hand.

If this is you, please get a grip and actually SHAKE someone's hand!

3. The Death Grip Handshake
This one is pretty self explanatory. You shake the person's hand, and you hear all your joints crack in the bone crushing grip. It takes everything in your power not to fall to you knees because of the ridiculous pain now radiating up your arm.

For those of you inflicting pain on us all, lighten up please!

4. The Creepy Handshake
This one doesn't occur very often, but when it does run away quickly. You can usually tell who these people are, you'll get that tingly 'off' feeling when you look at them. When you shake their hand, it seems normal -- until the release. When you left go their fingers gently stroke down the entire length of your hand and fingers, generally making you shiver with the entire creepy experience.

I think I've said enough on the one. Just don't be creepy.

5. The Cool or 'Man' Handshake
You see this all the time in movies, or in real life if you have friends who like to think they're cool. ;) You could also call this the 'secret' handshake. To guys approach each other and either grip hands and give a guy hug, or launch into a long and inexplicable series of hand signals that no one else will ever be able to interpret. Yeah...you're cool....

6. The Perfect Handshake
This handshake is the paragon of them all. When you approach the prospective hand shaker, they are prepared, confident, and they look you in the eye. The grip is firm and solid, a good medium pressure. The contact is only held long enough to establish a connection, not long enough to become awkward. Golden light should flow out from the union of these handshakes!

If this is you, good job!

Question for the comments: Which self-diagnosed handshake are you?

That's all for now! ttyl.

CV
Wings - Chapters 10,11 and 12!!!
Okay, so I was only supposed to two chapters today, but as the story truly kicks into gear, I'm having a much hared time STOPPING reading after my assigned chapters. So before I could stop myself I found myself reading a third chapter. I had to rip the book out of my own hands before I read a fourth! Needless to say, with today's chapters the story takes off.

Laurel shows up at David's house the morning after her freak-out to apologize. You can tell he wants to be mad at her, he really does. But he's a sucker. :) After a couple minutes of her begging he caves. They almost kiss. (You know its coming any time now, because if writer's hold that aspect of the relationship off too long, their readers will rebel) They talk briefly about their relationship, and what Laurel can handle. David expresses his willingness to just be her friend for as long as she needs it.

David has a brilliant idea, why not test some of Laurel's cells to see if she really is a plant? Makes sense -- David is the science geek with a microscope in his room, plus he's the only one who knows her secret. A whole parade of experiments follow. The cells from the inside of her cheeks (like on CSI!) = plant cells. A blood sample is next, though Laurel is absolutely terrified of needles. *David, being totally into Laurel the way he is, is really sneaky here* He has her sit behind him, and out her arms around him so that he can prick her finger without seeing the needle. Very sneaky indeed.

As now expected, Laurel doesn't have 'blood'. Have you ever crushed a flower and seen that strange clear fluid that comes out? Yeah. That's the stuff that comes out of Laurel's finger. David then checks her pulse at neck, wrist and on her chest. Can you guess what the result of that test? You guessed it! She has no pulse.

She breaks down again, of course so would I. This chick has had so much thrown at her in the past couple of weeks anyway in their right mind would have a breakdown. She basically thinks she is dead or going to die. Conveniently, David is there to comfort her.

Now before I write this next part, I must explain something. Any normal girl gets a kick of adrenaline like a syringe to the heart when she reads a well written romantic/kiss scene. This one is no exception. Though David comes to his senses before they can get too carried away. Laurel is not unhappy, but she still doesn't know if she can handle a relationship.

The great majority of the rest of this chapter is scientific conversation housed in different scenes. They discuss Laurel's diet, whether or not she really needs to breathe, if she can photosynthesize through her skin etc. She also does some research about Faeries on the internet, but she can't find anything, not even a myth that suggests that faeries would be plants.

A new dynamic enters here, David asks Laurel to go to the costume dance with him as a Faerie, using her actual 'wings' as a costume. She's not to sure about it, but she gets caught into it by another friend Chelsea. Better to go to the dance than to tell her secret!

Now do you see why I had to read another chapter? No way was I waiting to find out what happened at the dance! The story gets around that David is making Laurel's wings for the dance. She provides the dress, and he with a little sparkly garland and tinsel makes it look like the flower is nothing more than a costume. With a touch of glitter to her face and hair, she is perfect. Its almost like prom with the amount of pictures their parents take!

Everybody is fooled and loves the costume. Laurel even begins to believe and enjoy the fact that she is a faerie! Everything is great. She and David dance, and it seems for once that maybe everything is turning out fine. Until a petal falls off. Laurel begins shedding petals like crazy, and by the time she reaches home, there are only 5 left on her back. With a mysterious kiss to her forehead, David is gone, and we are at the end of another chapter.

This post has been extraordinarily long due to my weakness! Sorry! I'll try to be good and stick to one or two chapters per post.

Question for the comments: So of you have expressed that you really like your reviews. Do they encourage you to read the book yourself? or are reading these a replacement for it.

Talk to you soon!
CV
Wings - Chapters 8,9
"Hold onto your seats everyone, it's going to be a bumpy ride!" That's easily what I could say about chapter 8 of wings. This chapter explodes all the weirdness we've seen into outright mania, and yet somehow it all makes sense.

Laurel goes back to her old home with her parents, to clean it up and check on it. (Maybe the visit from the strange realtor had something to do with it? Anyway, not to jazzed about cleaning, Laurel wanders off with her guitar to a familiar stream. She lets the petals free on her back, since the get sore from being tied down. As she sitting there playing Sarah Mclachlan (Good choice!), this is where it gets really interesting.

Someone rustles in the bushes, and falls out of the foliage near her. The stranger, whose name is Tamani, is gorgeous. Brilliant green eyes, black hair with matching green roots, perfect tan, prefect body. He knows Laurel, and she knows him. It tickles at her mind, though she can't really say why.

He tells her to come with him, and grabs her hand. This is where Laurel loses her senses, she
goes with him. Not a smart idea. However, I think that his physical touch had something to do with the persuasion, since once he lets her go her wits come back. As any normal girl would, being alone in the woods with a stranger, she freaks out and tries to leave. Her lures her back with the promise of answers.

***
MAJOR SPOILERS***
If you want to suprised when you read this book, you should probably not read the rest of this post.





Ok...Are you ready for this? --
He tells her she's a plant. Not just a plant, but the most highly evolved form of plant. A Faerie.

A FAERIE!!!!!! What??? Are you crazy?

That's pretty much the reaction Laurel has and she runs away as fast as she can. (smart girl)

The next day David can tell somethings up, but Laurel manages to avoid him at school until biology. Tears are a big factor here. She promises to tell him later as they start to come, and since Laurel doesn't cry much, he doesn't push the point. David takes her back to where they had their first 'date', the twisted tree.

At this point, Laurel is in full on meltdown mode. And seriously, who wouldn't be with all the crap that's been going on? She's plagued by the memory of Tamani, and refuses to believe that she is a Faerie, or a plant. David simply adds fuel to the fire by saying that it makes a lot of sense. (Which it does, having to be outside, vegan, overly obsessed with nature, can't swim in salt water) She freaks out on him too, and in a deja-vu like repeat of the day before she runs away.

Chapter 9 finishes with Laurel asking her father if she had been different as a child. Though he gives her placating answers, I think the parents may have more of a clue than they're letting on.

More to come soon. Is two chapters to much for one post? I would like to finish the book before I leave for school and this seemed about the only way to do it.

CV

P.S. Any ideas for future book reviews or blog posts are welcome! E-mail me a charleevale@post.com

The Strange and Nebulous Phenomenon of Writer's Block
So, since this is a writer's blog, I thought I might want to actually have some posts about writing. ;)

I am currently suffering from the thing that is most dreaded in the writer's world, (Besides carpal tunnel syndrome) and that is Writer's Block.

I've hit 140,000 words on the first draft of my novel only to hit a wall that is seemingly a mile thick. Even after a five hours brainstorm session with my 'idea bouncer' Jessica, we didn't seem to be able to tunnel through it. I've explored many possible paths, but nothing seems to be able move the plot along naturally. I've even found the exact spot where the problem lies. To no avail. Now the waiting game begins until the correct step falls into my head.

Now, until that happens, I've decided to examine writer's block. Why is it that our brain suddenly stops? I've been working on this story for almost a year, so why do I lose the thread only a couple thousand words before the conclusion? It is definitely unexplainable.

I've been told many things: 'Writer's block doesn't exist', 'It's all a matter of willpower', and 'Your just procrastinating because you don't want to finish' (ha!). I don't believe any of these things, because I haven't written anything that benefits my plot in almost three weeks. Some theorists say that using writing prompts or starting on another story might help, but I can't motivate myself to do that...it feels like I'm almost abandoning my characters.

I don't think we'll ever figure writer's block out! What do you guys think? Leave a comment and tell me what you do to fix writers block!

CV

P.S. Don't forget to fan me on Facebook for exclusive updates! Click here.

Wings - Chapters 5,6,7
Hello Readers!

I am so sorry that I haven't been online lately, but certain things, including my mother getting spine surgery this Friday, have kept me busy. But in order to make up for that, I'm going to post on the next THREE chapters of 'Wings' to make up for the time I've lost!

When we last saw Laurel she had the zit of a lifetime on her back. Now she wakes up Saturday morning, and the bump is gone. Gone! Not that something hasn't replaced it....

A huge flower is growing out of her back. You heard me -- Flower. Purple blue and white, its beautiful, and by no means painful...but honestly, how would you react if you woke up one morning and had a huge flower growing out of your back? *Freaking out!*

She decides to tell her science geek and blossoming romance buddy David. After *painfully* cutting off a piece of one of the petals and taking it to him, he determines that it is indeed a piece of plant. After much internal battling with herself, she tells him her secret. He is completely blindsided, but otherwise supportive.

This three chapter run concludes with a mysterious and slightly creepy visit from a realtor interested in buying a piece of the Sewell's property. The next day Laurel announces they are driving back to the property again, her mother is having second thoughts. She invites David, but he is unavailable. Something tells me a mystery more than just the mysterious wing like growths is shaping up. We'll have to wait and see!

P.S. Please comment and tell me what you think of the new layout!

CV

I need a good subject for another blog post besides my book reviews... Have any ideas? e-mail me at CharleeVale@post.com
Wings - Chapter 4
Time for the 4th installment in my review of 'Wings' by Aprilynne Pike!

This chapter is the longest so far, a nice refresher. And it revolves around the bane of teenage existence: The Zit. Our heroine Laurel gets one on her back.

After some slightly awkward conversation about puberty and the things that come with it, we move on. (Thank God!)

Laurel heads over to David's house for a 'study' session. He happens to be outside when she gets there, mowing the lawn - with no shirt. Believe me when I say that the in-detail descriptions of how his muscles look are intended to make the female readers drool. (It almost worked. ;))

Laurel passes the biology test for which she has studied, but the bump on her back is getting bigger. I think its safe to say its not a zit. What is it? A tumor? A hunchback in the making? Laurel's preoccupation with what could be wrong with her causes some strain in her relationships, especially the one with David.

I can't help but notice the way Aprilynne continually describes stuff in regards to Laurel. Her entire being revolves around the natural. She feels the need to be outside whenever possible, especially when faced with school inside. She takes a walk every morning to enjoy the air. And now in this chapter the thought of swimming in salt water makes her sick. She claims that it feels like the salt 'seeped into her pores and made her exhausted for days afterward'. Is something up with her? Or is she just extremely weak and picky.

By the end of the chapter, the bump is now the size of a softball. That's HUGE! I would be freaking out too! I guess we'll find out what it is soon enough.

CV

Send your questions to CharleeVale@post.com
News!!!!
I have just bought the domain charleevale.com! It is not launched yet, but I'm working on it. I'm new to the whole website thing, so it might take a little bit, I have to do graphics and such. However, I wanted to share this good news with you all!

CV
The Bane of My Suburban Existence
I'm driving down the road, and all of a sudden I have to slam on my breaks for an SUV who has slowed down to the crawl equal to that of a centipede in front of me. Why?

SPEED BUMP!!!!!

These are things that I just don't understand. They are a waste of cement. Why would we put little bumps on the road that cause people to inch over them, only to have them speed up twice as fast on the other side? Does that sound like it prevents accidents to you? I don't think so.

Now, aside from being completely pointless, speed bumps give my quite a few laughs. I love it when I'm driving behind a Cadillac Escalade, and they slow down to two miles an hour to go over a speed bump. What are they afraid of? Scratching the paint? I kinda want to roll down my window and yell at them: "You shock absorbers are built to handle anything from Mount Everest to the Amazon! A six-inch high cement blob should be no problem!"

If my modified Ford Taurus(Which despite you skeptics, is awesome and has a V-8 Super High Output engine) can handle a speed bump at thirty MPH with barely a jostle, any SUV can.

Please tell me if you agree that these yellow semicircular blobs that cover the road are hazardous to peoples health. Not only from rear end crashes (Because the yuppies that own $100,000 cars are afraid of a bump) and from death by laughter from these same people.

CV

Don't forget to mail me your questions for me to write about!
CharleeVale@post.com
The Mortal Instruments Trilogy
As I said in my post yesterday, I have been reading The Mortal Instruments Trilogy by Cassandra Clare. I finished the series today. I can easily say that these three books have made me more angry than any other book series I have read. I loved them.

If you are confused by this, let me explain. These books are each approximately 500 pages long. I read all three of them in four days. You do the math, that's a lot of pages. The books were beautifully written, and had a plot that drew you in. Clare also had the brilliance to have plot twists that frustrated you so much that you couldn't help but to continue reading, simply for your own peace of mind!

I enjoyed them, but again a word of caution before reading. If you do not like mythical creatures, do not read this series. As much as I have to laugh at this disclaimer, I am serious. I know that since Twilight most people are absolutely opposed to any book that contains mythical creatures. I was not aware that this series contained them at all, by the time I found out it was too late to turn back.

There is also some unsettling relationships that you must be prepared to handle if you prepared to handle. (The nature of which I won't say because that would ruin the story. :)) But all in all, they are beautifully written books with an extraordinarily complex plot. I encourage anyone who is up to the challenge to read them.














CV

P.S. Apparently my comments aren't working, so I am posting a reply to my post for one of my forum friends.

"I agree on all counts - except I think Twilight's issue wasn't supernatural creatures, it was the fact that it encourages borderline abusive relationships ("because he loves me soooo much").

But I loved Cassandra Clare's trilogy - couldn't put it down. And the relationships were pretty darn disturbing at times!

For something which is only PG coz of some good healthy piratical killings, follow my twitter story from August 1.

username: Louise_Curtis_
name: Felicity Bloomfield"
Wings - Chapter 3
Ahh....back to blogging. I totally apologize to everyone for being so lazy! But life kind of swept me along these past couple of weeks. But, as well as another chapter of wings, I came back with reading suggestions! I've read three books in the time I've been gone.

First - Looking for Alaska by John Green
This book is awesome! It it an incredible portrait of the wild emotions that come with the teen years, especially when facing tragedy. There is quite a bit of language, and some more mature material, so if you don't think you can handle it, don't pick up this book. For everyone else, I encourage you to read this. You won't regret it.


I'm also just starting the third book of The Mortal Instruments trilogy (over the last two days I read City of Bones, and City of Ashes. Now I'm on City of Glass) I don't want to voice my opinions on them until I've finished the third book, but I imagine that will be pretty soon.

Now, enough with housekeeping - on to the third chapter of Wings!

Several weeks have passed and our innocent homeschooler is gradually adjusting to the public school life. (Having been homeschooled myself, I really don't know what this is like, but we all know its filled with drugs, sex, and violence. *Shock, horror!*) She know has friends which include the good looking david.

This is the day it happens. the awkward first date disguised with an offer of 'hanging out.' I did see this coming. Again I have to notice that there is a particular emphasis on plants. David offers her a walk in the woods, she enjoys walking in the rain, always chooses fruit to eat, etc. I'm hoping this will be explained in later chapters.

What I didn't see coming was that Laurel was a basket baby. She was left on her parents doorstep at approx. Age 3, with a full vocabulary and strange accent that has since disappeared. Hmmm...Russian import perhaps? She seems content with her lot in life, but I can't help but feel as if the mystery of her parentage will unfold further in the book.

The chapter closes with the promise of more romance in the future. I will keep you posted!

I want to finish this book by the timw I go back to college, So I will be attempting to post (chapter reviews or otherwise) much more often than I have been. Thanks for reading!

CV

P.S. Don't forget to fan me on facebook for exclusive updates and sneak peeks of my novel!
Click here to become a fan!
Wings - Chapter 2
Definitely time for another post about Wings!

Chapter 2
This chapter open at the end of Bio class. It seems like this is going to be a popular locale in the book, since it is were Laurel met her seeming hero of the story. Following what happened in Chapter 1, Laurel reluctantly has lunch with David in his friends. She is obviously not the social type, and seems to have an anxiety attack towards the end of the short lunch encounter.

For the second time now, someone at her school has made a big deal about her lunch. Usually people don't make this big of a deal about food, so I'm guessing that this is a part of the unsolved mystery of our heroine.

Skip to the next day. David becomes more bold, sitting next to Laurel in Biology. He seems quite taken with her after only 3 days, but, it is high school. ;) He wants to include her in his group of friends, but she says that she needs to be outside. Unlike any high school guy that I've ever met, he offers to move the entire group outside for her. Its a very sweet gesture, and I want to see how their relationship progresses.

The chapter ends with Laurel in more comfort than we have seen her, which bodes well. This is another very short chapter, and since I'm not exceedingly far into the book, so I don't have much to talk about, but there's more to come!

CV

P.S. Don't forget to send your questions to me! Charleevale@post.com
Why do Fools Walk in the Rain?
I found an old journal entry called 'Message on the Metro.' I though it was pretty cool, so I thought I would share it with you. This occurred in July on 2007, when I was working as an intern for the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

"I was on my way home from work today, sitting on the metro, listening to my ipod like I always do. I had the unfortunate luck to get on one of those trains that is a little to eager to go fast, and got so close to the one in front of it and so it is always stopping in the middle of the tunnels. Looking back on it now, I'm very glad I boarded this particular train. As my car came to a complete stop in the middle of the dark tunnel, I looked out the door window across from me, and I saw something that shot a bolt of adrenaline through me. I don't know why, but it just made me freeze. There are long lights on the side of the metro tunnels. These are used by the workers in the tunnels, so that they do not fall down and fry themselves on the third electric rail. The top of all of these flourescent lights are caked with dirt. Ordinary enough, but there was something different about the light across from me on this summer afternoon. Written in the dirt, the light shining through the letters, someone had written a message. "Why do fools walk in the rain?". And that was it. That's all it was. It just gave me a shock, I guess it came from seeing a profound question written in the most unlikely place imaginable. I looked around the train, but nobody else seemed to have noticed it. I almost thought I was imagining things. It was like a scene from a movie, my own soundtrack playing in the background, and the unlikely candidate for adventure sees someting extraordinary that no one else chooses to notice. Then the train started moving again and it was gone. Its highly unlikely that anyone will ever see that again.

As I was walking to the carpool line I was just thinking about this question. "Why do fools walk in the rain?" and I finally came up with my answer. They don't. I once heard a quote that I whole-heartedly agree with and is the basis for my answer. "Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet." The fools are not the ones who walk in the rain. The fools are the ones who walk outside and are suddenly drenched with water and a depression of spirit because life is not going their way. They can't see that life is to short to care about things that temporarily make you uncomfortable, like the weather. They are so focused on their rain cloud that they can't look around and see that it may be raining harder on someone else. The people who walk in the rain are the ones who enjoy life for what it is, low times and all. These people have hope for the future, and see no reason not to dance in the rain along life's way. The are the ones who realize that even if it is dark, and poring rain for a long, long time......life has to have some rain in order to tell when the sun is shining. The few that understand that your life is not complete until you walk in the rain without just getting wet."

I hope you all enjoy that! I may post some of my other old journal entries as well. Some of them are really fun!

CV

P.S. Don't forget to send your questions for me to post about! Charleevale@post.com
Wings - Chapter 1
Hello all!

I am so incredibly sorry that I had to postpone my post!

I was finally able to read the first chapter of Wings today! It was extraordinarily short, so I may be doing another post very soon.

The book opens as a great deal of YA novels do, a student starting their first day at a new school. Laurel Sewell, seems the normal nervous student, and suffers from normal 'new school disorientation'. There is a twist however, and this immediately allows me to identify with this particular character. Until this point in her life, she had been homeschooled. Since I was homeschooled for all twelve years of my primary and secondary education, I can relate. ;)

In biology class, Laurel meets a guy, he keeps sneaking glances at her. *eerily similar to Twilight anyone? haha* His name is david, and his description sounds a little more like Abercrombie model tahn high school student. But he is nice to her, and they end up eating lunch together. Here we learn taht Laurel is a vegan. Interesting...homeschooled and vegan. How many 'bad' stereotypes can we pack into one character? The interlude between Laurel and David goes well, agreeing to meet again the next day.

At home, Laurel lives up to her homeschool character. Because as we all know homeschoolers can be summed up in one word. ANTISOCIAL. (False. Its all lies.) She fervently tries to convince her mother to take her out of school, after the first day. And shock of all shocks, Laurel states that she is hungry! Several paragraphs describe Laurel's dislike of food and eating. Another word pops into my mind. Anorexia anyone? She basically states that she lives on little more than Sprite. Are we to add on yet another stereotype to her in future chapters?

Anyway, though the opening chapter is short, I look forward to reading more. Maybe tomorrow? See you all then!

CV

P.S. Don't forget to send your questions to CharleeVale@post.com - if they're good I may focus a whole post around it!
My apologies
I just arrived at a hotel in Maine, one stop on the way to a vacation with my family. I was fully intending to be able write the review of Wings today, but the ten hour car trip turned into a 14 hour car trip. The traffic in NY City made me lose 4 hours! So I am absolutely exhausted! I am sorry but I will have to postpone my post. :)

Thanks for understanding!

CV

Charleevale@post.com
Wings by Aprilynne Pike


Today I walked into Borders, intent on picking up some writing magazines for my upcoming vacation, when I was stopped by an intriguing book on the new release table. The book, Wings, a debut by Aprilynne Pike grabbed my attention by the cover. A butterfly formed from to flower petals. Upon further examination, I found a very nice quote from Stephanie Meyer gracing the front and back. I examined the book, and liking the hook, I bought it on impulse. Tomorrow, I will be starting a chapter-by-chapter review of this book as I read it. I hope you will follow along with me, and maybe it will prompt you to buy the book yourself!

CV
New Moon Trailer!
For those of you that follow twilight, I have the New moon trailer in HD right here!

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON trailer in HD


Enjoy!

CV
Cleaning - The Bane of the Universe
For those of you writers out there, this is for you, I hope that this resonates with you on some level. :)

I arrived home from college a week ago, and in between my sleeping, relaxing, and my utter lack of school work, (which is still throwing me for a loop) I have been writing. I really have not had the motivation to do anything else. Cleaning is one of those things. I dutifully unpacked everything from my car into my room upon my arrival, where it has stagnated and slowly crept out of its confinement until my room now resembles the remains of a bombing attack.

As a writer and artist, this does not bother me nearly as much as it does my parents. I call it artistic freedom, they call it abominable. So try as I might, I cannot escape the task of cleaning, even when that time could be used for writing! So, I must go clean the remnants of the missile strike, while Prince Caspian plays in the background to help me focus.

Adieu!

CV
Cash in the modern world....
Hello, friends.

In the past weekend I packed up the entirety of my life into my Ford Taurus (Do not scoff, it has a customized engine and is pretty much the sweetest car ever), gone to one of ten weddings for the summer, and moved back home for the amazingly long period of.....eleven weeks. Thus, the lack of posting. I sincerely apologize.

On another note, I finally saw the first Transformers movie today! I liked it, I never watched the cartoons, so I have nothing to compare it to. I am really looking forward to see revenge of the fallen!

Ok, final random housekeeping note. My manuscript is up to 93,000 words! I am making significant progress. I'm really going to work hard to finish it over the summer so that I can begin the 'friend-editing' process that I already have in place.

So, on to the true topic of the post: Paying with cash in a credit world.

I received my very first question! it is from one of my friends who was nice enough to sit down and actually read this. Her question was, do you ever feel awkward when you pay in cash at the store and then have to put it away? Do you ever feel like people are judging you because you are going too slowly? What is the protocol for this situation?

In answer to her question: Yes, I have felt that way many times.

You walk up to a counter to pay for your miscellaneous objects, which by the time you have finished checking out you feel are completely a waste of your time, money, and embarassment. Let's say you hand the cashier a ten dollar bill. Already, this person has placed you on edge, because the people they place on cashwrap are young high school girls with pigtails that have more colors than a skittles bag and a nose ring that would rival any bull in spain. They gaze at you through droopy eyes that remind you a little of yourself in the pre-coffee stage of the morning, and you silently remind yourself to write a note to the manager suggesting that free espresso shots be made available to all employees.With an amount of disdain equal to that of a royal family member sitting on an unclean park bench, she gives you your change.

Now, this is where the dilemma inevitably falls. You have several options:
1. Put the change away in your wallet properly, taking as long as needed. Yet all the while falling into a strange paraniod belief that every pair of eyes in a five-hundred foot radius is glued to you, and that those same people are judging your whole life based on this simple task, and they have inevitably found you proundly mentally retarded, since you cannot capably put away your change in a decent amount of time.
2. Grab the change and shove it awkwardly in your pocket with your keys and cell phone. In this position it is guaranteed to fall out and scatter over the parking lot when you try to free said keys from your pocket. (If it were just your car keys, there would be no problem, but members of our current society are incapable of owning a keychain without fifty or so 'savings cards' to stores they never visit or use) Sometimes this option can be an even greater source for embarrasment then option 1, because you are reduced to looking like an idiot, chasing pennies that seem to have an endless capacity to keep rolling across the parking lot.
3. This is the option I fall prey to most often. You take your change, wrap the coins in the bills, the bills in the recipt, and put said bundle into your shopping bag. Now the change can be easily retrieved at a later time where there will be no more opportunity for potential embarassment by the throng of people that always seem to be present when something awkward happens.

However, all of this can simply and easily be avoided. Use a credit card!

CV

Send your questions to CharleeVale@post.com

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Cloudy with a chance of...Meatballs?
It is very late, and so my post will not be of great length tonight. However, I had to express my joy that Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs will be hitting theatres in animated movie form on September 18th!

Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs, the absolutely fantastic childrens book, is about a town who's weather suddenly turns wacky. The rain consists of soup and orange juice, giant pancakes and syrup floods abound. Magically, the food falls from three sky three times a day, and correponds with the correct meal. In the end, the food becomes overwhelming, and the have to sail across the sea(using boats made out of giant bread slices, with peanut butter as the glue of course). As a child, I just could not get enought of this book! I am so excited they are making it into a movie.






I watched the trailer at the website that Sony pictures has created for the movie, and even though they have made some structural changes to the story, I think the essence will be preserved in the film. Rather than having the focus center around an imaginative child as it does in the book, the story focuses around a crazy yet loveable inventor named Flint. It would appear that Flint is one of those people the town loves to hate, since he is always stirring up trouble with his nonsensical inventions. However, when flint stumbles upon a way to convert water into food, that is where the town's trouble starts.

I am really looking forward to seeing this film, just for the sake of my childhood memories!

You can watch the trailer and find out more about the movie here:

http://www.cloudywithachanceofmeatballs.com/

CV