Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett (first book review)

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 So, for my first book review, I'm doing the book I finished today: Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett.
This was my first Discworld novel.  Love.  It.
If someone forced me to describe it in one word, it would be, "HILARIOUS!"

Now, I was going to do about ten quotes from the book (because they are so funny) but Mom was in the car waiting for me to finish the last page so that we could return it to the library, so I couldn't.  I was quite unhappy when I realized it on the way back and couldn't think of anything but, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" for the rest of the half-mile home.
Anyway, the plot line is something like this:  Rincewind "volunteers" to go to the Counterweight Continent when a letter is sent to Unseen University asking for the, "Great Wizard."  Rincewind ends up finding is oldest friend (95 years of age), Cohen, and his band of senile barbarians, the Silver Horde.  The Horde is planning to attack the capital and kill the emperor.  ~Fast forward~ Rincewind somehow manages to find the "Red Army" (an army of children wanting to rebel against the empire and, as he tries to convince them it's NOT a good idea, Cohen takes over the Forbidden City.  ~Fast forward~ the Silver Horde faces five armies and Rincewind is underground discovering the real Red Army.

Yes, that was a pathetic Synopsis.  I'm terrible at those.

My favorite thing things about this book is are:
Rincewind.  I can relate to him, even though I can't, if that makes any sense.  He is insanely funny and fun to read about.
The epic humor.  Think of a scholar trying to teach barbarians civilization, a "wizzard" who isn't really a wizard, and the gods playing board games all in one book, and you have Interesting Times and a couple of laughs on all 200+ pages.

It's very interesting.  Read it.  5/5 stars.  I haven't read anything this good in a while.

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

Forget about Christmas in July, it's Christmas in August!!

Yesterday I was on Facebook, chatting a friend, minding my own business, and somehow we managed to get into Lord of the Rings and how I was planning on reading it right between Nutcracker and Christmas.  Then, BAM!  I went into writer mode and started describing everything I love about that time of year.
Next scene, I'm writing Christmas haikus.   I'm going to share them with you now, and later I will go find some pictures and Picnik the poems onto them.  It should be awesome.

Christmas Tree

 

Dancing, dainty lights,
snowmen, candy-canes, snowflakes.
Christmas Eve's nightlight.

 

Winter Morning

Sparkling icicles,

snow falls slowly to the ground.

My window is fogged.

Carol

Christmas angels sing

of great tidings and great joy.

Let us sing along.

Child's Wish

Deeper and higher

and then dreams of some sledding.

Please, snow all night long.

Front Yard

Deers in white and blue

bend their heads deep to the snow

and drink crystal flakes.

What About?

 

Presents, trees, and snow...

It is all about just those.

What about Jesus?

Midnight Drive

I drive throughout town,

look at the beautiful lights, 

and sing to myself.

Christmas Pageant

Bright lights on the stage

reflecting off silver wings

in our Christmas play.

Christmas Eve

Christmas carols play

softly on the radio

into a deep sleep.

A Star

It was a star that

showed three special men a way.

Stars I follow too.

My least favorite would have to be Child's Wish and A Star.  My favorites are....a lot of them...  We'll go with Front Yard, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Tree.

Enjoy your Christmas in August!  Hopefully  I've put you in the mood to drive your parents nuts with Christmas stuff already.  I get to do that anyway since NUTCRACKER BALLET TRY-OUTS ARE IN TWO WEEKS!!!!!  YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!  FTR, I dance more than I write sometimes.  I love, love, LOVE Ballet, and Nutcracker, especially Nutcracker because it means lots of late nights with friends I never get to talk to.  YAYNESS!!!!!!!!!

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

One Year Adventure Novel and Some Other Stuff

Soooo...school started yesterday (YAY) and we have a new writing program.

Photo print screened from their website.

OYAN for short.  It is the most epic thing ever.  It counts as a highschool credit, it's made for homeschoolers and IT IS TOTALLY AWESOME!!!  Your goal is to write an adventure novel in nine months, rather than completely rushed like NaNoWriMo (I've practically given up on that, for the win).  Here's the link: http://www.oneyearnovel.com/
I've only done two lessons and I already love it.  It comes with a bunch of DVD's, The Compass (text book), The Map (workbook), and the teacher guide stuff that I'm not allowed to look at.  The DVD's are very clear, and I can understand him easily.  Everything is easy to comprehend and I feel like I've already learned stuff.  Also, there are these epic quotes that I can use as Facebook statuses.  I'll go into more detail when I've used it a little bit more.

As to other stuff... You should all know I started school yesterday (second time stated in this post).  I'm thinking that I will be reviewing my school books as I read them, maybe sharing some grades (MAYBE), and doing other stuff as I come up with ideas.  By the way, my algebra wasn't near as bad as I thought it would be yesterday.  I got a 94% because I couldn't remember how to do one problem and I messed up a number in another.
Oh look, a grade.

RANDOM QUOTE:  "I love being a writer.  What I can't stand is the paperwork." ~Peter DeVries

One last thing, on Sunday I discovered that I'm "betrothed" (read, "I'm supposed to marry him because I was told to even though I'm not required") to an eight-year-old boy down the street because his dad wants someone who "knows how to do things."  I guess I should take that as a compliment but....awkward...

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

Back to Homeschool Supplies: The Part of School Which I LOVE

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mom went to Wally-World last night (without me, I might add, which made me angry) and got all my back to homeschool supplies.
Heaven.  <3<3<3<3<3

• Five folders <3
• Four notebooks <3<3
• A box of pwetty mechanical pencils <3  (they are translucent and where you hold them, it's all bumpy<3)
• Three-ring binder <3<3  To hold my schedule this year.  THIS YEAR I FINALLY GET MY OWN SCHEDULE!!!!!!!!

This post proves four thing (comment with any others):

1. I'm a nerd
2. I like lists
3. I love organizing things
4. I love the colors blue and green (see pictures below)

~Hyperventilates~
Also, the school room table is clean!!  We're trying a new writing program this year!!  American history in-depth!!  BOOKS!!!  Grammar!!  I have my own schedule!!
This year I'm determined to work hard throughout the entire year.  Wish me luck.
Also, pictures!  Because I am a nerd.  They are bad pictures, because I am not skilled with my sister's iPod.  And it died in the middle of e-mailing them to my computer.

NOTEBOOKS

FOLDERS

PWETTY PENCILS

THREE RING BINDER

SCHEDULE FOR TOPICS AND SKILLS

MAP

STUDENT NOTES

SCHEDULE

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

Jealousy, August CaNaNo, and some other epic stuff.

I am so stinking jealous of everyone's blogs, but mostly just one.  ZNZ and her blog Jotting Down Notes.  But I can't copy her, because that would be bad.  She makes amazing book reviews, and amazing doodles, and amazing, hilarious posts.   I'M JEALOUS THAT I ONLY HAVE FOUR FOLLOWERS AND SHE HAS MORE!
I need help with ideas for making my blog more epic.  Tell me what you wish to read about, pretty please?  Maybe I can gain inspiration from that...  I guess I need something that's ME.  That other writer's don't have...hmmm.....I think I'll go set up a poll.
Also, what do you think of my cover for A Dancer's Heart?  I've decided to keep it at heart, because you can have heart shapes, but not soul shapes, to make a cover.

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

inkpop

This is my favorite writing community.

http://inkpop.com/   I like short https....

It's by Harper Collins.  It give's the top five books, short stories, and poems a chance to be publshed once a month.
Yes, it's a popularity contest.  Yes, you have to spend time on it to get anywhere.
Okay, okay, I'll stop using short sentences.
I still love it.  <3
Figment is okay, I guess, but I find it hard to find anything on it, and Protagonize I plain don't like the setup.  I love inkpop because it does give a chance to get published, even though my chances of that are slimmer than a pin right now because I don't have any stories posted at the moment.  I removed Wolf Call because of its terribleness.  Soon I will be adding Too Much Green (now, A Dancer's Heart, soon to be A Dancer's Soul, because I already have a novel with "heart" in the name.) since Chick Lit is something that's in right now.
If you decide to join this site, I would have to say the biggest things are giving good reviews, making yourself known, and be willing for swaps and an occasional free read.  Also, I'm AnimalsAre8D.  Befriend me and then leave me a comment saying you discovered inkpop from my blog!

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler