WOW.

There's no other word to describe what I just recently saw. WOW.

I've taken a few weeks off from the blog, and I sincerely apologize. Time flies too fast, and suddenly what feels like a just-posted post is ages old. But I'm back, and for good reason, because I just saw HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1!!! :D (Cue applause.)

So, yeah, that's why I felt the title of this post could be aptly summed up in that one single syllable word that so completely wraps up how I felt about this movie. WOW.

It. Was. Fantastic. Arggghhh! I just wish part 2 would be out already! I'm a Potter fanatic, so I was clenching my fists in anger (yet complete happiness, because the movie was truly spectacular) when it ended. They left us hanging, I tell you. Left us all hanging... (unless you've read the books, but even still...)

Any of you Potter fans? I'd hope so. I still find myself constantly awestruck at how Ms. Rowling could come up with such a beautiful world we "muggles" can immerse ourselves in for periods of time. It's simply stunning.

Alas, I didn't get to see it last night at midnight, but still, I got to see it in its first 24 hours of release. I think I may even see it again...

With that, I say goodnight (I'm tired, yet energized from the movie; does that make any sense?). Definitely go check it out and here's to hoping it completely and utterly shatters records! :)

I'd also like to take this moment and welcome my new followers to An Author's Quest. Thanks for following!

With that, I end this simple, terribly amazing blog post, and as always... Write on!

The Hunger Games Post!

The Hunger Games. Many of us have heard about it (I say many and not all because, to my astonishment, I was talking to a friend who had never, EVER heard of The Hunger Games only a few weeks ago), many of us have read it, and many of us have loved it.

I'm here to discuss it's utter mind-blowingness (new word???) =) and why, from what I've read and gathered, it's so dang popular. Though I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. ;) (Sidenote: every time I use the word check, I'm virtually placing a check mark next to reasons why, I believe, the trilogy is so successful.)

For those of you out there who've yet to discover anything Hunger Games (go buy a copy NOW) I'll brief you on the trilogy's premise: in a ruined, no-longer-exists America's future lies a harsh capitol that controls twelve districts. Because the districts (at that time there were thirteen) once rebelled against the capitol causing a war (yeah, the districts lost), the captiol conjured up a maniacal form of punishment to remind the disctricts of who's in charge every year. That form of punishment, my friends, is The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a televised fight to the death, where two young citizens of each district (a boy and a girl, between the ages of twelve and eighteen, respectively) are sent and, well, shoved in a being-filmed arena where they all have to kill each other until there's one person left--a winner. (Check! The plot is just awesome, yet so simple. Very easy to understand with quite a wow-that-sounds-like-a-great-book hook.)

That's one colossal reason I feel this trilogy's seen the success it's seen, and arguably the biggest one of all. The plot.

It's gruesome, yes. (Check! Who doesn't like a little terror/gore (toned down gore, mind you) every once in a while?) And suspenseful. (Check! Suspense is delicious.) And young adult, my favorite genre EVER. (Check! This is just my opinion; I'm certainly biased, thinking young adult is amazing and all.) And, to top it all off, it has downright memorable characters who've truly jumped into my heart and stayed there, even though I've long ago turned the last page in the third novel. (Check! Perfectly created characters are essential when writing.)

It's written by Suzanne Collins, a woman whom I've come to respect because of the truly imaginative world she's created in the trilogy. Here's a fun piece of trivia for those of you who didnt know: I was watching her talk in a YouTube video (watch it here) where she talks about how she got the idea for the whole story. She explains that one night while watching television, she found herself flipping back and forth between reality TV and footage of the Iraq war. The two shows ended up swirling together, and thus, The Hunger Games was born! (Cue applause and confetti!)

If you didn't notice already, I said that the story of The Hunger Games is a trilogy, with the second novel being titled Catching Fire and the third and final novel being titled Mockingjay. I highly recommend this series not only because of its snappy, raw writing and its to die for plot, but because, as you'll see in the videos following the video I've linked to above, Suzanne explains that the whole idea of how far we humans are taking entertainment is the basis for the series. Quite simply, when we watch horror and thriller movies and see people getting slashed, chopped, and murdered in the most brutal ways imaginable, when or where do we draw the line? (Check! This just stuns me, the whole "story behind the story." It's very interesting.) At times, I feel, that line never really exists. It's a thought-provoking subject to ponder, one I've pondered for quite some time myself. Overall, it's simply a brilliant backstory to main character Katniss Everdeen's adventure, one you'll see is filled with surprises, cliffhangers, and of course, romance. (Check! Romance isn't essential, but it certainly spices up any story!)

So let's review. These are the reasons why I feel The Hunger Games has been such a success:

1. The plot. It's utterly amazing.
2. It's raw goriness; Suzanne never "writes down" to her young adult audience, and I respect her for that.
3. The suspense! This trilogy's oozing with suspense.
4. The fact that it's young adult, which therefore, in my opinion, attracts readers of all genres
5. The "story behind the story," or whole how far are we taking entertainment? idea.
6. Lastly, the romance. Gale and Peeta. Peeta and Gale. Katniss torn between the two. Throw in this love triangle on top of all that's mentioned above, and you've got yourself a darn good story.

I just love this trilogy. It tops my list of best novels EVER, residing rightfully next to Harry Potter and Pendragon. It's amazing. It's brutal. It's suspenseful. It's romantic. It has lovable characters, memorable characters, truly great characters, and even some ugh-please-get-away characters--but isn't that what makes stories so great?

It's The Hunger Games.

5 out of 5 stars, for sure. All three books were a thrill ride that had my heart pounding until the final page. Plus, the cliffhangers peppered throughout it were downright fantastic.

By the way, the movie's coming in the next few years, so look for it! (Suzanne's writing the screenplay, so I'm certain it'll be AMAZING.) So excited!

With that, I end what I believe is my longest post ever. But it's for The Hunger Games, so I'm completely fine with it. :) Until next time, write on!

Oh, and by the way, I'm team Peeta.

50 Followers!

Yes, I know I stated my next post would be all about The Hunger Games. And it's still coming (stay tuned!). But, I just had to post this new post, because, after posting the blog award post a few days ago, I was lucky enough to have hit 50 followers! You guys honestly astound me, and so, since I can't give you any dandy gifts, I decided to write you all a poem...

I call it 50 Followers...

Dear followers, both new and old
Please know you have a heart of gold

Since summer break you’ve joined me here
And been so utterly sincere

Your words have helped me, made me beam
You’ve pushed me toward my single dream

You’re all so great, don’t go away
You make me smile every day

I hope your many dreams come true
And bring the writer out in you

Thanks Ellie Great, you’re pretty nifty
In fact you’re lucky number fifty

To all of you, I wish the best
Let’s move on with this author’s quest!

Blog Awards and Winners!

Hey everyone! Guess what? I have some totally, undeniably AMAZING news!

I have been awarded not one but TWO blog awards! They are The Versatile Blogger and One Lovely Blog Award! I was SHOCKED, to say the least, when I found out. (See above picture.)

The wonderful Tessa Quin awarded me both of these awards, and I'm here to personally thank her. :) Thank you, Tessa. You made my day.

Tessa made a good point on her blog (which you should definitely check out!) which I'd like to bring up. Us new bloggers really are, well, new. We're just starting out. Tessa, me, and loads and loads and loads of others, whether they be travelers, sailors, gymnasts, authors (not that I'm biased or anything), and tons more. What connects us is that we're all bloggers, and what connects us even more is that we're all just starting, just starting to swim deeper and deeper into this colossal, crazy (in a good way, of course) pool of blogs.

That's why I'm thrilled to have gotten these two awards when my blog is only a youngster. =)

Now to the good stuff.


I'm going to be giving these glorious awards out to other deserving bloggers as well. Because, truly, who wouldn't like to get a blog award? :)

If you do get an award, you can pass it on to others as well. Rules regarding the awards follow right here:

Rules for The Versatile Blogger:

1. Thank and link back to the person that gave you the award.
2. Share seven things about yourself.
3. Pass the award to fifteen bloggers that you think deserve it.
4. Lastly, contact all of the bloggers that you've picked for the award.

Rules for One Lovely Blog Award:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2. Pass the award to fifteen other blogs that you've newly discovered.
3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Now, here are the seven things about myself:

1. If I could choose any superpower, it'd probably be the ability to create a force field. That, or the power of invisibility.
2. My favorite color is blue...and silver. I can't choose, and probably won't ever be able to.
3. My favorite movie is White Chicks (then again, my favorite movie changes every day or so).
4. I've developed a small obsession with the band Maroon 5. I like, really like their music.
5. I used to have a terrible fear of roller coasters, but now I can't get enough of them.
6. I really wanted to be an astrounaut as a child (I've heard the odds, however, are pretty much not in anyone's favor), but quickly realized this wasn't practical.
7. Favorite book series? Harry Potter!

So, that's it about me. :)

Now for the fifteen bloggers that I've chosen! Congrats guys! (Even if you've already been awarded, I'm still awarding you!) =]

Nicole MacDonald

KLM

VampireGirl94

StoryLuver101

srjohannes

Rachael Harrie

Sara B. Larson

Erica and Christy

K.M. Walton

Jennifer Walkup

Cynthia Hand

Kody Keplinger

Charissa Weaks

Kimberly Derting

Lola Sharp

So, that's it! Again, congrats to the winners! You all truly deserved the awards, and I honestly love reading your blogs! (Remember, you don't have to pass it on if you don't want to.)

Stay tuned, because my next post is going to be all about The Hunger Games and its utter coolness. :)

Write on!

A Habit I Don't Want to Break

Bonjour! :) So, today, I thought I'd talk a little about an interesting habit I've developed ever since I started writing, which was years, years, and even more years ago. It's a habit I'm sure many of us are guilty of...

...and it's a habit I never want to break.

Basically, I've been writing some novels over the past few years, and obviously, once done, I've been sending out queries and such for them. Consequentially, I find myself more hooked and more curious about blogs from agents/published authors/aspiring writers such as myself out there, which leads to my habit of discovering a soon-to-be-on-shelves book, already out book, or agent-just-picked-up-an-amazing-client-with-an-amazing-book book. So, in essence, nearly every day I'm discovering more and more books through the web, and seemingly every week I'm at Borders (my favorite book store out there) =) picking up said books.

And it's impacting my room. I've now, because of this, started to nurture and grow my own mini library. :)

When I'll get around to all these can't-wait-to-read books, I don't know. But I will find time. It's just a matter of finishing the other zillion books I have lined up. :)

Oh, and I'd just like to say thanks to everyone who commented on my Crusader challenge mechanical liger post. It was a lot of fun to write, and basically shows that my head is a mysterious place even I sometimes fear entering. So, thank you. :)

With that, I leave you with this question: are any of you guilty of this rather inevitable habit? I'd love to hear your responses!

Write on!

I sat down to write the other day and...

So, before I truly start my post, I'd just like to do a little introduction concerning what you are about to read. First and foremost, it's a response to fellow blogger Rachel Harrie's first Crusader challenge. :) (If you're totally lost, check out this here post. It'll give you the rundown on the Crusade, who we Crusaders are, and why you should definitely jump on board!)

Now, for this challenge. We as Crusaders simply had to start a post with "I sat down to write the other day and..." and finish it. Below is my response.

And right here is my warning that this is quite possibly the most bizarre/random response to it out of all the entries. But then again, you never quite know... :)

Enjoy!

I sat down to write the other day and...

...instead, got pelted in the head by a blunt object.

"What the...?"

I turned around and saw nothing, so, being the aspiring writer/cool blogger/elephant tamer that I am, I quickly returned to writing my latest blog post about me and my trip to Mars a few short weeks ago (you should totally go; who knew aliens were fans of roller coasters, Dippin' Dots ice cream, and quidditch?).

And that's when I was once more struck in the head...by seemingly the exact same blunt object.

"Who threw that?" I sourly shrieked, whirling about in my chair to discover...nobody. Whoops. Forgot that everyone had left a good while ago for the day.

And that's when I saw it. A large, mechanical beast that resembled a liger. A colossal, steel liger, that is!

I shot up from my chair and backed toward the wall. I looked to the floor and saw that the liger had been throwing gloriously red apples at my head. Yum...

No, wait. I'm supposed to be scared. Supposed to be confused. Should I talk to it? Ask what it's doing here? Or, maybe more importantly, ask how the heck it got into my house?

"Miles," the liger stated, "I'm bored."

So? What in the world should I do?

"Liger, I'm writing a new post for my blog," I responded, looking at the floor, at my feet. At the apples. Anything but those insanely captivating, mechanically created eyes.

The liger frowned, then clunked out of the room. I watched it meander toward the kitchen, knock over the fridge, eat the fridge (ugh, I had some Taco Bell saved in there), then cantankerously shoot up and out of the chimney...after practically destroying the entire house in the process, of course.

I stood there, curious as to how I didn't notice its entrance (the gaping hole in the wall across from where I had been sitting may have been a good indication, I've now realized). And then, feeling that inevitable twang of guilt, I scooped up two apples and quickly made my way toward the (not really there anymore) chimney.

"Liger?" I called. "Liger?"

The mechanical liger descended back down the chimney, licking its steel lips. I threw it the apple and plopped down on the ground. Liger followed suit.

Chewing on the delicious, crisp apple, I decided to ask it, "So, have a blog?"

Liger looked at me, then shook its head. "Nope." It took a small nibble from the apple.

I didn't know where to take the conversation. And then, it hit me. "You know, Ruby, my dog, is extremely lonely nowadays, what with the whole house being gone constantly and all." I knew in my heart this wasn't true, but I felt so bad for the thing.

Liger eyed me, swallowing the final remnants of its apple.

"You know, you could...stay here. As another pet of mine," I then stated. Gulping. Scared. What was I doing?

Liger leaped upward and came crashing back down to the floor. I swear, the whole house lifted into the air! And that's why I now have a pet liger (Ruby's got some tough competition!)

Now just imagine this in mechanical form. :)

Who Knew #25 Was So Lucky???

Whoa. I just have to breathe for a second.

Breathing.

Breathing.

Breathing.

And now, I'm going to jump up and down and freak out because I was the lucky 25th follower on fellow bloggers Erica and Christy's blog.

And your point is, Miles???

Well, I was the 25th follower on their blog, so they had a sort of celebration, and did a post. And not just any post. It was a special post...ALL. ABOUT. ME.

I seriously couldn't believe it when I read it. It was a mix between shock, thinking I was dreaming, and feeling on top of the world. The funny thing is, Erica and Christy, you guys were the 25th follower on my blog here, too! :) Funny how things work out, isn't it?

Here's the post. Go check it out, and definitely follow Erica and Christy's blog. Who knows? If they continue to do this, you may be lucky number X and end up in a post completely and utterly dedicated to you!

Oh, and there were two prizes involved. :) Erica and Christy granted me (drumroll...) TWO, yes, not one, but TWO virtual flowers, in addition to the One Lovely Blog Award. They have been convienently placed below for your viewing pleasure.

I'm so honored to have been given both the flowers AND the award! All I can say to you, Erica and Christy, is thank you! :) You both truly made my day. (I'm adding the flowers to the blog!)

So, that about wraps up this post. I'm still so astonished that out of all of their followers, I was that follower who followed at just the right moment.

Remember to check out and follow their amazing blog as they, like me, journey toward publication. I'm rooting for both of you, too! :)

Write on! :)